


The Game Hero: Game Changer

by KCSonic118



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: AU, Crossover, F/M, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Fandoms Not Mentioned in Tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:41:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 34,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22311934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KCSonic118/pseuds/KCSonic118
Summary: When Casey's Quirk came in, he assumed it was a combination of his parents' Quirks: his mom's ability to breathe life into her art, and his dad's ability to "talk" to computer coding...Summoning a Pikachu from his grand dad's old Gameboy wasn't what he expected.Now, he's applying to UA, wanting to be the best hero he can be, but as he learns the limits to his Quirk, the world will never be the same.
Comments: 66
Kudos: 76
Collections: Mixed_Fics





	1. I choose you!

Casey had always been a more introverted child, preferring to spend his time at home or with his other family, rather than play with other kids in the park. His dirty blonde hair would be wind swept as he raced around his house, his blue-green eyes alight with joy every time he passed by his parents with smiles on their faces. His mother would always take a moment from her painting to sweep him into a hug, planting kisses on the crown of his head and show him the newest subject she was bringing to life.

Anna was a slightly petit woman, standing at only five foot even, but her presence could certainly fill up a room. Her deep green eyes and light blonde hair certainly got her attention, however it was her kindness that most focused on.

"Mama, is my quirk gonna be like yours?" He asked, watching as the man in the painting gave him a smile and a wave, his dog giving a happy bark as well.

"Do you want it to be, Sweetie? You could come to work with me and make some beautiful artwork." Anna replied, smiling as she painted a bone into the picture for the dog to chew on.

His mother's quirk was called "Still Life", which allowed her to embed a personality into her art, as long as she focused as she worked. It even let her to place her pieces next to one another, allowing them to interact as long as the pieces were touching.

"Yeah! Then I can make lots of pretty pictures just like you!" The boy gushed, a huge smile on his face as his mom laughed. She scooped him up, making him squeal as she took him towards his bedroom.

"Well then, Mr. Artist, I can't wait for that day." She offered, smiling as she laid him in his bed. Casey's walls were covered in paintings of various figures, from small animals that romped through a forest, to miniature heros and villains who did battles across painted cities for his entertainment.

"We go see Grandma and Grandpa?" He asked sleepily, smiling as he watched a painted All Might save the day on the other wall.

"Tomorrow." His mom whispered, giving him another kiss on his forehead. "Now make sure you get some sleep, my love." She instructed as she flicked off the lights. Her son gave a happy little wave as she shut the door, halfway into dreamland already.

"Do you think his Quirk is going to come in soon?" A voice questioned softly, making her eyes crinkle happily as her husband draped his arms around her. The man's ocean blue eyes hold smiles of their own, while his dark brown hair stood almost on end as he gave her a grin.

"Honestly? I think so. He's had so much more energy since his birthday last week, and between how much he's been doodling and playing those games you got him, I'm almost amazed he's remembered." She huffed in amusement, turning to nuzzle against him.

His Quirk he liked to call "Data Dabbler", because it allowed him to almost "talk" to the data in electronic devices, making it work with him in unexpected ways. It allowed him to get a job in cyber security, patching up exploits and glitches in computer systems.

"Hey, don't blame me for those games! My father is the one who got me hooked growing up, and I wanted to share that with him." He retorted, a small grin giving away his amusement. As if in response, the game console in his hand gave a small "Pika Pika!"

"I know John, I know." Anna responded, flashing a smile down at the screen where a Pikachu was bounding around what looked like a campground. "Honestly I'm more impressed that he's so happy with the dinosaur consoles than the newer ones."

John gasped in mock outrage, cradling the system to his chest. "I'll have you know that the Switch was the height of amazing!" He defended, chest puffed out before deflating. "...at least back when it came out. And to be fair, I've let him try my newer ones and he didn't seem overly interested."

"Everyone has their own opinions." Anna smiled, tugging the taller man down for a quick kiss as she went back to the living room to work on her painting.

* * *

Casey grinned in excitement, trailing behind his mom and dad as they approached his grandparents' house. His grandparents were always happy to have him over, his grandmother telling him stories about the past, while his Grandfather would show off his collections of video games that he would play with the child.

It was during one of these times that Casey's Quirk decided to manifest.

"Grandpa, what's that?" The boy asked, pointing to a display case in his grandfather's game room. The older man followed where his grandson was pointing, a small, nostalgic smile coming over his face.

"Well Casey, that was my first video game, that my grandfather passed down to me." He explained, opening the case and pulling out the rectangular, green object. He carefully pulled open a hatch on the back, double checking that there were batteries inside before handing it to the boy.

"That was his first ever video game system as well, called a Gameboy Color. It's what got him playing Pokemon, with that exact cartridge actually." He explained, pointing to the yellow game cartridge that was sticking out the back slot. Casey could only gasp in awe, his eyes wide as he took in the piece of history.

"Dear, can you come help set the table for lunch?" He distantly heard his grandmother's voice, while barely registering his grandfather giving him a warning to be careful as he left the room. The boy could only seem to focus on the technology in his hands, as if he were entranced. Without warning, he felt a strange sensation on the back of his left hand, making him gasp in pain as his skin seemed to shift, pushing upwards as if something was trying to get out.

"Oww!" He cried, tears leaking from his eyes, dropping the Gameboy in the process. The four year old could only watch in stunned silence as a slot seemed to grow out the back of his hand, matching the one on the back of the Gameboy.

"Oh no! Grandpa told me to be careful." Casey whispered sadly, his attention returning to the console on the floor. The game that had been in it seemed to have be jostled out, landing face down a small distance away. He quickly picked up the system first, making sure it was all in one piece without any cracks before he picked the game up, gasping in delight at the picture on the front.

"Pokemon Yellow, Pikachu e-dit-ion." He pronounced carefully, checking it over. As he flipped it over, his attention returned to the back of his hand, his eyes going between the cartridge and the slot that seemed to match it. Something in his head seemed to be leading his body, because before he knew it the game had slid into place with a quiet click.

For a moment, it was a quiet, almost tense silence. Then suddenly, Casey felt his body seem to lock up, his brain going haywire as numbers and letters passed in front of his eyes in rapid succession, to quickly for him to read. However, one word kept popping up, a faint, almost static-filled cry reaching his ears.

"Pikachu?" He read aloud, causing the words to stop. All of the energy in his body seemed to travel down to his left hand, a glow coming from where the game was inserted. His vision seemed to flicker slowly before turning dark, the last thing he could see being a yellow blur launching from his hand before he passed out.


	2. Pikachu chooses you!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey's Quirk is discussed and thoughts are thrown about.

Casey woke slowly, his vision dark and noises seemed to be traveling through water, muffled as he groaned. What sounded a bit like voices all stopped, though a strange, almost purr-like sound seemed to pierce through the haze.

"-sey, ar- -u wi- -s?" A vaguely familiar voice called, making the young boy stir a bit more. Even though his limbs felt like lead, he managed to flop one of his arms onto his chest, flinching slightly as his hand came into contact with... fur?

"Pikaaaaa~" Something sighed, leaning into his hand. As Casey's vision began to return, his view was filled with yellow fur, strangely bright black eyes peering into his own. Two red cheeks seemed to stretch into a grin, a happy chirping coming from the creature as it nuzzled against his chin.

"Well, looks like we don't have to worry about if he's dangerous." John smiled, watching as the small electric rodent snuggled under his son's chin. The boy still looked half asleep, but thankfully not as pale as when they had found him. Casey hadn't come down when lunch had been called, and his parents had nearly had heart attacks to find the boy on the floor.

"Wha happend?" He slurred, his left hand running through the soft fur of the Pikachu on his chest as he looked to his family.

"Well Sweetie, we were hoping you could tell us?" Anna questioned, slowly running her own hand through his hair. The Pikachu on her son's chest glanced at her and seemed to deem her a nonthreat, turning back to his new charge.

"All I remember is a bunch of different words in my eyes after I... " He trailed off, catching sight of the Pokemon Yellow cartridge still inserted into the back of his hand. His parent's and grandparent's eyes all snapped to his hand as well, widening and causing his father to reach down gently and take his son's hand.

"Well, looks like we found your Quirk, though how it happened between your mom and dads' Quirks is a bit of a mystery." His grandmother input mildly, looking between the game, the Pikachu, and her grandson. The small yellow Pokemon gave a quiet "Chu", waving a paw.

"But it's not like mom's or dad's..." Casey noted sadly, scratching the Pokemon between the ears. His grandfather nodded slightly, a thoughtful frown on his lips.

"Well maybe it is." He offered, bringing attention to himself. "John, you've told me that you can make coding do what you wish, within reason of course. While you, Anna, give life to the things you create. As far as we know, maybe you could make a sculpture and have it have a life of its own. Little Casey here seems to have blended working with digital code and bringing it to life, just... on a larger scale."

To emphasize his point, he gestured lazily to the Pokemon once more, who seemed to stare at him. The Pikachu's eyes seemed to fill with grief for a moment, his ears going back before he buried his face in Casey's chest.

"Pikachu? What's wrong?" Casey asked, stroking the electric mouse's fur. Pikachu poked one eye out from his chest, shaking his head and pressing closer to the child. John looked from the mouse to his father and back, half an idea forming that he would voice to his wife later.

"Maybe we should find out a way to turn the Quirk off for now, and go see a doctor later." Anna commented, noting that Casey seemed to be ready to fall asleep again. The Pikachu seemed to perk up for a moment, gently nosing against the game cartridge in Casey's hand. He gave the young boy one last nuzzle before he carefully pulled on the game, removing it from the slot.

In a burst of light, Pikachu dissolved, the light sinking back into Casey's skin and causing him to perk up.

"Looks like we'll go see a Quirk doctor tomorrow." John suggested, giving his son a hug as the boy cheered at the discovery of his Quirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going to skip to a bit of pre canon and start changing things, at least in small ways.
> 
> Honestly, I REALLY don't like early Katsuki, but i do want to try to see if i can't give him a bit of a nudge in the right direction. He'll still (hopefully) be his explosive self, but not a complete asshole.


	3. A Friend in Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey goes to a Quirk doctor and won't leave without making sure the new friend he makes is okay.
> 
> Or:
> 
> Izuku Midoriya doesn't know what to make of the boy he just met, or his Pikachu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I never really explained where Casey and his family are from, but for the sake of the story let's just stick with Musutafu to keep it simple.

Casey hummed happily as he and his mother followed the female doctor, his eyes drawn to all the posters in the hallway. The boy was carrying the Pokemon Yellow cartridge in his pocket, the slot in the back of his hand no longer bothering him.

"So, you're saying that it manifested yesterday?" The woman questioned as she lead them into an exam room. She gave a small smile when Casey giggled, his mother lifting him onto the exam table.

"Yes, he was spending time with his Grandfather when the slot on his hand appeared." Anna explained, gently twisting her son's hand to show the slot. The doctor brought a magnifying glass over, looking both at the skin around it and inside, where the connectors were.

"Does it cause you any pain or discomfort?" She asked, pulling out a cotton swab and carefully running it against the connectors. Casey giggled, his fingers spasming slightly.

"It tickles." He explained. The doctor let out a considering hum, jotting something down at her computer before turning back to his mother.

"Would it be safe to have him demonstrate? Or would we have to move to another room?" She requested, giving the boy a small smile. His eyes lit up with joy, turning to his mother and giving her the widest grin he could.

"Can I mom? Can I? Can I? Can I?!" Casey chanted, nearly vibrating in excitement. Anna laughed, giving him a nod. The boy pulled out the cartridge, allowing the doctor to examine it for a moment.

"It certainly looks normal enough. There's nothing altered about it?" She asked Anna, causing the woman to shake her head.

"Not that I was told. As far as I know, it's been passed down on my husband's side of the family, with it being his great grandfather's originally. Other than that? It's a normal Gameboy Color game."

The doctor hummed slightly, passing the game back to Casey and watching as he slid it into place. The boy's eyes seemed to glow slightly, while letters and numbers quickly flashed over his irises. 

"Pikachu, I choose you!" Casey exclaimed giddily. The data in front of his eyes was less overwhelming the second time, but still flashed too quickly for him to catch any other words.

The light from his eyes traveled down his body, connecting to the slot and game, where with a flash of light, a Pikachu was launched towards the ceiling. 

"Pika!" It cried, twisting in the air as to land on Casey's chest and knock the boy onto the exam table. The doctor stared, wide eyed as the fictional rodent gave almost chirping purrs from Casey scratching him between the ears.

"Pikachu, this is my doctor! She's helping me learn about my Quirk." The boy explained in what he thought was a whisper. The electric mouse Pokemon turned from him towards the unknown woman, seeming slightly confused by Casey's words. The doctor gave a small smile and held her hand out, palm up.

"Hello there, Pikachu. I'm here to make sure Casey doesn't hurt himself with his powers." She felt a little silly explaining it to a fictional character, but was quickly surprised as the Pikachu sniffed at her palm. He seemed to nod before looking her in the eye and putting his paw in her hand, offering a firm "Pika."

"Casey, did you imagine his personality?" Anna asked, watching as her son carefully hugged Pikachu against his stomach. The pokemon looked content as could be, watching the other two humans.

"Nope, he just came out this way." Casey replied with the kind of nonchalance that only a child could have. He was quietly whispering to Pikachu, missing his mom's stunned look.

"When I create a painting with my Quirk, I have to imagine at least a base personality type or else it just stays a regular painting." Anna quietly told the doctor, her eyes focused on the enigma in her son's lap.

"My only suggestion, since he seems harmless enough," the doctor began, smiling softly at the back and forth between Casey and Pikachu, who had moved up to his shoulder and was grooming the boy's hair. "Is to just keep an eye on him, and see if the personality changes any time he's summoned. Has Casey tried to bring any other characters to life?"

"No, he only got his Quirk yesterday. Plus we don't have any other games ourselves, only his grandfather has them for now." Anna told her.

"For now then, I would suggest stick with just the Pikachu until we know exactly what the limit is." The doctor commented. Anna nodded in agreement before clearing her throat to catch Casey's attention.

"Why don't we go get some lunch?" She asked, getting a cheer from the boy and his pokemon.

"Pikachu can come with us, right?" Casey questioned. As Anna opened her mouth to reply, Pikachu's eyes got wide, his ears back to beg with her son. She huffed a small laugh, glancing at the doctor for advice, due to the public quirk laws.

"Just make sure he's on his best behavior, okay? You can have him pretend to be a stuffed animal." She offered, watching in amusement as the Pikachu seemed to freeze. If she didn't know any better, she would have though it actually was a stuffed animal.

"Thank you so much for your time, Doctor. Have a good day." Anna said as they left the room, heading down the hall towards the exit. As they passed by another office however, the door opened, allowing a woman with tears in her eyes and a green haired child to exit.

Just looking at the boy's face broke Anna's heart a little: the smile he had was obviously fixed, while his eyes were blank, as if he wasn't really there.

"Hi Midoryia! Did you get your quirk too?" Casey greeted the greenette. While he wasn't exactly friends with the boy, they did share class at school. Maybe if he didn't follow Bakugou around all the time, they could possibly be friends: Izuku was quiet and generally easy to get along with, and even when he got passionate about All Might and heros in general, he didn't make Casey feel overwhelmed.

However, whenever Bakugo Katsuki got involved, Casey would rather go be anywhere else. The blonde always liked to try and pick on the other kids whose quirks hadn't come in yet, or ones he deemed "useless".

At Casey's question, Izuku's mother let out a small sob, pulling Izuku into a hug and crying into her son's hair. Alarmed, Casey turned to his own mom, his eyes pleading for her to do something.

"Inko, what's wrong?" Anna questioned, lightly placing her hand on the women's shoulder.

"I'm Quirkless..." Izuku answered in a hollow voice in place of his mother, glancing at the two. His eyes lingered slightly on the Pikachu clutched in Casey's arms, which he felt was looking at him, almost as if it were alive.

"Again, I am very sorry to tell you that, my boy." A new voice interrupted, causing Anna and Casey to turn back to the doorway, where another doctor was emerging with a small frown on his face. "You there, young man, is that a Pikachu plush? I've been searching for one for my grandson, yet none have been as well made as that one."

Before Casey could reply, the man reached out to touch the pokemon. Without warning, Pikachu let out a low growl, startling everyone and causing the boy to take a step back in alarm.

"I'm sorry, he's part of my quirk and hes never done that before." Casey babbled, clutching Pikachu against his chest as the creature continued to growl. The man put his hands up in surrender, lightly rubbing his moustache in thought.

"An interesting quirk indeed." He muttered, turning back into his office and closing the door. As soon as the man was out of sight, Pikachu stopped growling, though his ears stayed back and he was glaring at the door.

"...well on that wonderful note, would you like to join us for lunch? We were going to go to McDonalds." Anna offered to the Midoryias, making Inko give a watery snort and turn to Izuku, who looked less upset, staring at the Pikachu in slight awe.

Casey glanced between the boy and his pokemon, seemingly coming to a decision. He lifted Pikachu a bit higher, whispering a question into his ear. The electric mouse looked back up at him, glanced towards Izuku and flicked his tail for a moment before chirping back at his boy.

"You can carry Pikachu if you want to, Midoryia." He told the other boy shyly, Pikachu giving an affirmative "Pika!" as well. Izuku looked hesitant for a moment, glancing at his mother who gave him a watery smile and a nod. The greenette turned back to his classmate and carefully stuck his arms out.

"Thank you... Moore." He replied softly, gently hugging the pokemon to his chest carefully. "And you can call me Izuku."

Casey's smile in response was almost blinding.

"You can use my name too then!" He replied, walking alongside the other boy as they and their moms went towards the exit. "If you scratch right between his ears, he really seems to like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to include the McDonalds scene in this chapter as well, but I feel like the chapter has gone on long enough.
> 
> So unfortunately I cant promise a specific update schedule, because my muse tends to have the attention span of a goldfish, but I'll do my very best to have chapters out sooner rather than later.


	4. The Power of Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friendships are forged... with French fries.

"Why don't the two of you get us a table while we order the food?" Inko asked her son, giving his head a light caress. Izuku peeked an eye out from where he was hiding his face in Pikachu's fur, giving a small nod before Casey began to lead them off to a booth. Anna watched fondly as the two boys began to bond.

"So, Inko, why are you so upset that Izuku is..." Anna trailed off after they placed the order. She didn't like how those without Quirks were viewed by most of society, as if they were any less people, but she highly doubted that's what had upset the woman. While they might not know each other on a personal level, they had met before when waiting for their kids at the school, letting them talk casually where Inko would always seem to gush about her "Izu-kun".

Inko's smile seemed to get a little more fragile, but she took a deep breathe and leaned in slightly.

"Izuku has wanted to be a hero ever since he saw the video of All Might's debut. He was so excited for his Quirk to come in, always smiling and wanting to be just like All Might..." She explained, smiling wistfully at the memory. "...but the doctor wasn't quite as kind with the diagnosis explanation."

"Well if our little friend is to be believed, I'm not too surprised." Anna deadpanned, nodding her head towards the kids and Pikachu, who were all giggling about something while sharing the booth seat.

"He pointed out that Izuku has two joints in his pinkie toe, and said there was no hope for him. He acted as if he couldn't see how badly that hurt my son, to be talked about like he was less than me, just because I have a Quirk and he doesn't." She continued, a small burst of anger flaring in her mind.

"Well you definitely shouldn't go back to that doctor again, that's for sure." Anna scowled, imagining what that must have been like. Inko gave a harsh laugh under her breath.

"I don't plan to. But Izuku was so heartbroken and I just don't know what to do... if it wasn't for you three, I can only imagine how he would be right now." Inko admitted, glancing over at her son, laughing with his new friend and the pokemon between them.

"Support him, that's the best thing you can do. I don't know exactly how he can be a hero, to be completely honest, but you'd be surprised at how powerful a child's will can be." Anna replied, picking up the food and beginning to walk over to the kids. "But between you and me? I think he can be a hero if he puts his mind to it."

Inko stared at the other woman's back, stunned at the firm belief that a near stranger had, when her own had wavered for even a moment. She couldn't help but smile though, joining them at the table where Casey and Izuku were taking turns handing Pikachu French fries. The pokemon would reach up and dip the fry in ketchup, practically drowning it before shoving it in his mouth. 

"Pikachu really likes ketchup." Casey told the adults, Izuku giggling as Pikachu got some ketchup on his cheek.

"How're you feeling, Izu?" Inko questioned, her heart aching as the boy's expression seemed to freeze once more.

"Mom..." He began, Casey and Pikachu both turning towards him as well. "No matter what kind of trouble you're in, All Might will save you with a smile..." Tears filled Izuku's eyes, not quite falling but almost there. "A super cool hero like that. That's... what I wanna be."¹

Inko's own eyes began to water as she slowly reached over, taking his hand in hers and staring him right in the eye.

"If that's what you want Izuku..." She whispered, a small but genuine smile stealing over her lips. "Then you're gonna be the best hero ever."

"Yeah! You'll beat up the bad guys and save everyone and be super awesome and I'll be your biggest fan!" Casey exclaimed, hugging the other boy as he sat in stunned silence. Pikachu cheered as well, nuzzling both of them. Izuku's expression changed from frozen to almost splitting his face in half with how wide his smile became.

"Ack! Are you sure you don't have a Quirk, Izu-kun? Because your smile almost blinded me!" Anna joked happily, dramatically rubbing her eyes and grinning.

"...thank you mom." The boy whispered before turning back towards Casey. "Don't you wanna be a hero too?" He questioned, tilting his head.

"I mean, I dunno." Casey muttered shyly, leaning back with a small frown. "Just cause I have a Quirk doesn't mean I gotta be a hero, right? My mom makes art for her job using hers, and I know my dad's job is super important: he makes code work with him for security stuff, and neither of them are heros. Plus I wouldn't want Pikachu to get hurt."

"Pika, pikachu pi pika." Pikachu almost seemed like he was boasting, puffing out his small furry chest while small sparks danced across his cheek pouches. Out of curiosity, Izuku poked a finger against one of the sparks, jolting upright in surprise as his hair jumped upwards.

"Izuku, are you okay?" Inko asked frantically, the others stunned at what happened. Izuku shook his head, making his hair fall back into its curly state and smiling at his mom.

"I'm okay! It was only a little stronger than a static shock." He reassured. "What is your Quirk anyway? I don't think you ever said."

"Oh! I don't have a name for it yet, but when I put a video game in my hand, it let me bring Pikachu to life." Casey chattered happily, showing the slot and cartridge to his friend. The greenette leaned in, carefully running his fingers over the area.

"Is it only a Pikachu because he's the main one on the game? Is he completely biological or he made of data? Is he actually eating the food and will he digest it and..." He trailed off into muttering, making Casey and Pikachu lean in to listen better, while their mothers looked on in amusement.

"He's such an inquisitive boy. He really is a gem, Inko." Anna whispered, giving the other mother a smile as the boys bonded.

"He really is." Inko replied with a smile. Their attention was brought back to their kids when a flash of light went back to Casey, Pikachu disappearing and causing the boys to clunk their heads together by accident. The Pokemon Yellow cartridge dropped onto the seat between them.

"Alright kiddos, focus on food now, and we can work on Quirk stuff later." Anna instructed, making sure Casey pocketed the cartridge before they dug in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> McDonalds bonding is totally a Thing.
> 
> ¹I basically pulled this word for word from the manga, because this is almost a linchpin for canon. Now, let's see how much changes with his mom's support, along with a friend by his side.
> 
> I'm also debating a time skip, which would include skipping parts where new facets of Casey's Quirk are explored.
> 
> So my real question is, would you rather I go into detail and have quick growing up scenes? Or would you rather I skip to the beginning of canon and have flashbacks when new parts of his Quirk are shown?


	5. The Moore Things Change: Izuku Midoriya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku has always had support for his dreams, between his mom and his new friend, but society seemed intent on tearing them down. Now's his chance to prove himself, and provide his own origin story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm mostly rehashing the manga for now, since big big changes won't happen until later, but I'll be focusing mostly on Izuku and Casey for now. So some of the scenes from the manga will be left out, while others will be slightly expanded upon.
> 
> Let's play a game of spot the cameos!

_"People... are not born equal."_

"Enough, Kachan!" Izuku's voice echoed across the empty park, heard only by the children that were there. The greenette stood protectively in front of another boy, who was curled up and shaking on the ground.

"Y'already made him cry... stop it! I won't let you hurt him anymore!" He declared, trembling slightly. Katsuki Bakugo, his old friend simply flashed his teeth at the boy with a feral grin, the two boys behind him laughing at the defiance. 

"So Deku, the quirkless wonder thinks he can play hero, huh?" The blonde asked sarcastically, slamming a fist against his palm and making a small explosion. "Pretty bold when your loser friend and his pet rat aren't here to back you up."

Izuku grimaced, remembering that the other boy was apparently at home sick, hence he was on his own. Before he could even attempt to respond, the boy with the stretchy fingers had managed to grab his hair, holding him in place as Katsuki landed a red hot punch across his jaw.

"You're nothing but a useless Deku! Always needing that loser to save you!" Katsuki shouted.

* * *

**_10 Years Later_ **

"Wow... a giant villain!" Izuku exclaimed, one of the many pedestrians watching as a huge figure wrecked havoc down the street. Beside him, Casey sighed, though his small smile gave away his amusement at his best friend's enthusiasm. The two teens were both dressed in their school uniforms, Casey sporting a belt with six red and white balls clipped to it, along with a black band on his wrist. The band seemed to have a glowing pink stone embedded inside it.

 **"GET AWAY!"** The giant man yelled, swinging an arm at a man who seemed to be covered in a suit of wooden armor.

"Izuku, we need to get to scho- aaaaaand, he's gone." Casey groaned, watching as the greenette pushed his way through the crowds to get a better look at the action. He adjusted his square-framed glasses as he followed, being thankful that he was taller than most of the crowd.

"Turning into a monster? What a crazy Quirk! But what happened?" One of the civilians asked, turning to their neighbor. 

"He tried to steal a purse and started rampaging when he got cornered." They replied, moving aside as the two boys pushed their way to the front.

"Who's fighting him?" Casey questioned, peering up towards the train station where the wooden figure had landed. Izuku glanced where his friend was looking, letting out an excited gasp.

"It's Kamui Woods! The popular young superstar!" He exclaimed. He blushed slightly when the man next to him let out a chuckle. 

"A running commentary, huh? Kid, are you a fanboy?" He asked, three spiked appendages sticking out of his head wiggling a bit as he turned towards the two teens.

"I'm not, but my pal here knows tons about heros!" Casey declared, answering for the two. Before Izuku could interject, their attention was captured once again as Kamui's arm shifted, looking almost like roots.

"Take him down, Tree-Man!" The man next to them roared, watching as Kamui's arm roots shot out towards the giant villain. Just as they were about to tighten, another huge figure seemed to fly from nowhere, drop kicking the villain in the jaw.

"Canyon Cannon!!" She shouted, knocking the villain into unconsciousness and off the railroad bridge. The entire crowd seemed to freeze in shock, though Izuku and Casey noticed a bunch of men with cameras appear behind them, staring at the giant woman, all of them muttering "It's her!" under their breath.

"Today's my debut!" The woman began, lifting the leg of the unconscious villain and turning to face the crowd. "Pleased to meet you all! You can call me **Mt. Lady!** "

 _"Gigantification, huh? It's a common and quite powerful Quirk, but could the threat of public property destruction limit its use? Well depends on whether or not she can manipulate her size at will."_ Izuku muttered, a notebook seeming to appear in his hand as he wrote his thoughts down.

"Taking notes? I guess you wanna be a hero yourself. Good luck!" The man wished, giving him a thumbs up. Izuku turned, a wide smile on his face.

"Thanks, I'll try!" He promised, Casey giving his own wide smile as he clapped his friend on the back.

* * *

"You're all third years now. It's time to start thinking seriously about your futures!" The teacher declared, emphasizing his point by snatching up a stack of papers off his desk. Izuku, for his part, barely glanced at the man as he kept writing in his notebook, while Casey doodled on a paper from his seat behind him.

"I _would_ hand out these future career forms, but I assume you **_all_** want to be heros!" He exclaimed, tossing the papers as he gestured. The whole class seemed to explode with energy, each student showing off their Quirk. Casey simply rolled his eyes, noting that Katsuki didn't bother do react either.

"Yes, you all have amazing Quirks. But you know it's against the rules to use them in school!" He scolded.

"Sensei! Don't lump me in with those losers!" A voice broke through the noisy students, silencing the classroom for a moment. Casey let loose a sigh, already knowing how this was going to end. He subtly grabbed one of the balls attached to his belt, pressing the button and making it expand to the size of a baseball.

"As if I had anything like their crapy quirks. Heh." The blonde boasted, leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk.

"Get over yourself Katsuki!" One of the other students roared, being joined by the others. Bakugo simply barked out a harsh laugh.

"Ah, Bakugo... you, of course, must be aiming for U.A. High School." The teacher interrupted, causing most of the students to freeze, while Izuku flinched.

"That national school? The cutoff score this year is 79, isn't it?" One of the others muttered. "I hear they barely accept anyone!" Izuku only buried his head in his arms. Bakugo scoffed, hoping up onto his desk.

"Ah, the chattering of extras!" He began, making the girl in front of him shiver. "I aced the mock exam! I'm the only one here with the stuff for U.A.!"

"I'll even surpass **_All Might_** and become the best hero out there! Not to mention I'll be one of the richest people in the world!" He declared, laughing arrogantly. Casey barely suppressed a scoff.

"Oh." The teacher added, cutting through the noise. "Aren't you going for U.A. too, Midoriya? Moore?"

Bakugo froze completely, his amusement cutting off immediately. He and the other students turned in unison, staring at the greenette and his friend for a quick moment before bursting into uproarious laughter.

"Midoriya?! No way! Good grades alone can't get you into the hero program!" One boy shouted before returning to his laughter.

"At least Moore has a Quirk!" Another added, making the boy in question glare at them. Izuku shakily stood, blocking Casey from their line of sight.

"Th-that's not necessarily true! Sure, there's no precedent, but..." He stuttered. He flinched backwards as Bakugo threw his arm down towards his desk.

"Come on, Deku!" He roared in anger, pausing as his expected explosion didn't occur. The blonde leaned around Izuku to glare at Casey, who matched him glare for glare while his hand rested on the head of a blue creature standing next to him.

"Good job Quagsire." Casey praised quietly, earning a quiet "Quag..." from the Pokemon. Bakugo glared for a moment more before leaning back into Izuku's personal space.

"Forget the crappy Quirks, you're totally Quirkless! And you think you can rub shoulders with me?" He hissed. "Even your loser friend there at least has one."

"Wait, no, Kacchan. I wasn't... saying I could compete with you! Not at all!" He hastily explained, stepping back to learn against the wall, his shoulders hunching and his jaw lowering to his chest. Casey took half a step over, slightly blocking the greenette from the rest of the room.

"It's just... been my dream, ever since I was little. And well... there's no harm in trying..."

Bakugo's temper seemed to explode, though his hands didn't manage to due to Quagsire's Damp Ability.

"Try?! Try what?! The entrance exam? You're taking the exam just to 'try'?!" He shouted, making some of the other students chuckle. "What can you even do?!"

Izuku glanced down in shame, his thoughts going to his pinky toe. Casey simply glared at the rest of the students, making a few of them shift uneasily.

* * *

_Later that day_

_"The incident from this morning is all over the net!"_ Izuku thought excitedly, flipping through his phone as he got ready to leave for home. He reached down to grab his notebook, labeled 'Hero Analysis For My Future, No. 13' _"I'd better get home and get my notes in order."_

"We ain't done here, Deku." Bakugo's voice pierced his thoughts, startling him as the blonde grabbed the notebook from his hand.

"What's that Katsuki?" One of the others asked,, peering over the boy's shoulder. " 'For my future'? Seriously?!"

"C-come on, give it back!" Izuku half stuttered, half demanded, only dimly aware of Casey coming back into the room. Bakugo slammed both his hands against the notebook, causing an explosion to engulf it.

"Why...?" Izuku gasped, staring at the charred book. Bakugo simply huffed, tossing it negligently out the window.

"The best heroes out there, they showed signs of greatness even as students." He began, stepping closer to the greenette. "I'll be the first and _only_ hero from this crappy public middle school! The first to win the honor of becoming a student at U. A. High. Guess I'm just a perfectionist."

"In other words..." He concluded, patting Izuku on the shoulder with a faux smile on his face. "Don't you **dare** get into U.A., nerd. And make sure your loser friend knows that too."

Izuku let out a shaky breath, the hand on his shoulder uncomfortably warm.

"Jeez, he still won't talk back?" One of the other students muttered as he, Bakugo, and the other boy left, leaving Izuku trembling. 

"He can't say anything. Even as a third year, he can't face reality." Bakugo snorted, his head popping up to look over his shoulder.

"You wanna be a hero so bad? I've got a time saving idea for you." The teen standing behind Bakugo began, a dark grin on his face.

"If you think you'll have a Quirk in your next life, go take a swan dive off the roof!"

Izuku's head snapped up, a fierce glare on his face as he turned to the bully. Bakugo only lifted his hand and flexed, making an explosion in his palm.

"Got something to say?" He questioned blandly, smirking as Izuku only trembled. The trio quickly left after that, though the teen who made the suggestion shivered in fear at the murderous look Bakugo gave him from the corner of his eye.

Izuku felt himself relax slightly once he was alone, wiping his tears against the back of his hand as he walked down to the courtyard where his notebook had been thrown.

"The _only_ reason I don't go and report him and his asshole friends right now is because you, for some reason, still care about him, even just a little bit." A voice announced, startling the boy into looking up and seeing his notebook hanging in front of his face from a green vine.

"Bulba, bulbasaur." Another voice seemed to agree. Izuku followed the vine back, taking in Casey sitting on the edge of the school's koi pond, a Bulbasaur next to him and enjoying the sunshine.

"You know I wouldn't ever consider that, right?" He asked quietly, causing the frown on his friend's face to soften.

"I know, Izuku, but even for them that's a bit too far." He replied, recalling the Bulbasaur to a Pokeball as the duo began their trek home.

"That's... that's just Kacchan's friends..." Izuku tried to defend, knowing even to his own ears that sounded weak. Casey didn't even bother to verbally respond to that, instead cuffing the boy gently upside the head.

"Yeah well, you're more than 'just Izuku' so I think-" That was all Casey managed to get out before he was thrown down the alleyway, his body going limp as he collided with the wall.

"A medium sized body... to hide in..." A voice rasped behind Izuku, causing the teen to spin. He almost puked as his eyes landed upon a slimy figure, its eyes floating above a mouth of massive, disfigured teeth.

 _"A villain?!"_ He thought as the slimy form of the creature quickly wrapped around him, covering his mouth.

"Don't worry, I'm just hijacking your body. Calm down." It seemed to croon into his ear, slowly forcing Izuku's mouth open. "It'll only hurt for about forty-five seconds... then it'll _all be **over.**_ If you stop struggling, I'll even let your friend over there live."

Izuku could only struggle harder as the sludgy body forced itself down his throat, choking him as he panicked and tried to rip the creature off him.

"You're a real hero. I never thought _he_ would show up in this town. And no point in trying to tear me off, I'm fluid, you see!" It taunted. Izuku felt his body start to get weaker, his eyes glancing from his fallen friend further down the alley, to his burnt notebook. The pages had fallen open to a sketch he had been working on earlier that day.

 _"Someone help, I'm dying!!"_ He thought frantically, his eyes full of tears as his body slowly shut down.

"Fear not, kid!!" A voice boomed, punctuated by the sound of the manhole cover being blown into the roof of the alley. The sludge creature's eyes widened as a man emerged from the same sewer opening as it had. " **I am here!** "

The man had his hair sticking up like two horns, a large smile on his face while his eyes were shadowed. One hand was carrying a grocery bag with soda bottles in it, while the other was rearing back.

 **"Texas...** **"** He began, flexing his arm and throwing it forward in a powerful punch right next to the duo's head. **"SMASH!!"**

The sludge monster flew apart, bits of it's body flying all across the alley. Izuku felt like his face was about to tear away from his head, his vision starting to go dark.

 _"All... M...Might...?"_ His last thought whispered before his world went black.

* * *

Izuku awoke suddenly to the feeling of something slapping him in the face. As his eyes adjusted, he caught sight of Casey leaning against the alley wall, groaning in slight pain as his Bulbasaur used its vines to help hold him upright.

"Thank goodness." Another voice commented, making Izuku look up into the face of his idol.

"Apologies for getting you caught up in my villain hunt." All Might began, a hand rubbing his forehead, as if he was embarrassed. "Mistakes like that aren't my style, but this is a strange land to me. And besides, I'm off camera!"

"But my success here is all thanks to you! I've contained the villain!" He explained, holding up two soda bottles, each containing the sludge creature's body.

"I'll be honest, waking up to the number one hero chugging soda was not how I expected this day to go." Casey interjected, staggering his way over to Izuku with Bulbasaur's help.

"Ah, my notebook, can I get your autograph?!" Izuku panicked, searching desperately for the book. Casey let out another snort, handing it to him.

"Don't worry, I'm _fine._ " He commented sarcastically, giving a playful eye roll to show he wasn't offended. "But I got that taken care of for you." Izuku almost squealed as he flipped the book open, seeing the autograph taking over two pages.

"Now I must bring this fellow to the authorities!" All Might exclaimed, putting the soda bottles into the pockets of his pants.

"Wait, is that it...? I..." Izuku trailed off, watching as All Might began to crouch.

"A pro battles not only enemies, but also time." All Might explained, tensing his muscles. Casey looked between the two, already seeing the gears turning in his best friend's head. He cursed under his breath as the Hero said "Until next time..."

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" He ordered, grabbing hold of Izuku while the vine reached for All Might's leg.

"Thanks for yo _ur support!_ " All Might's voice carried as he took off into the air with a mighty leap. As he started to adjust his flight pattern, he looked back in shock as the two teens and the Bulbasaur flew behind him, one of the pokemon's vines wrapped around his leg while the other held the boys.

"Hey now, release me! Such enthusiasm is a bit much!"

"If we... let go now... we'll die!" Casey screamed, looking at the city below them.

"I... need to ask you... so many things!" Izuku panted, his face being blown back by the wind.

"Okay, okay! Just do me a favor and close your eyes and mouths!" All Might demanded, reaching for his own mouth as a cough escaped him.

 _"Damn!_ " He thought as a drop of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. Once the group has crash landed on the roof of a nearby building, Casey rolled over to stare at the sky while Izuku wheezed nearby.

"Let's never do that again, yeah?" Casey commented, his Bulbasaur letting out a small sound of agreement as it cuddled up against his chest. The boy gave it a light pat on the head before recalling it to it's Pokeball once again.

"Of all the...!" All Might growled, looking over the city from the roof edge. "Hopefully the people downstairs will help us down. But I have no time, truly!"

Izuku whipped around, turning to stare at his idol's back. "Wait! Um..." He began, his mind drawing a blank.

"No! I will not wait!" All Might declared, grabbing onto the chain link fence as if he was going to climb over.

"Even without a Quirk, can I still be a hero?!" Izuku blurted out desperately, squeezing his eyes shut. Casey seemed to freeze, lifting an arm to cover his eyes as he groaned in frustration. 

"Can someone without a Quirk become a hero like you?"

All Might let loose a sigh, turning his head slightly to look at the teen.

"Quirks are..." He began before stopping abruptly, smoke beginning to rise off him. _"Oh no... damn it all!_ _"_

"Because I don't have a Quirk, I... well, maybe that's not the only reason. But I've always been picked on... that's why... maybe that's why... I think that saving someone is just about the coolest thing someone can do."

"Izuku..." Casey muttered sadly, knowing how painful this was to admit out loud. He did all he could to boost Izuku's belief and confidence, but he knew that what the other kids said still got to him.

"The way you save people with a fearless smile! I want to be the strongest hero, just like y-" Izuku stopped abruptly, turning to where a skeletal man was standing where All Might had been only moments before.

"Who are you?! You're all shriveled up! Were you a fake? An imposter?!" The greenette accused, causing Casey to glance over. The other teen shot to his feet, gaping at the man who seemed almost thinner than he did.

"I am All Might." The man intoned grimly, blood dripping from his lower jaw.

"No way!" Casey denied, staggering over to his friend and pulling him back.

"You know how people hold in their gut at the pool? It's like that!" The man explained before he sat on the roof, resting against the fence. "A fearless smile though, huh..."

"You've seen the real me, kids. But don't write about this on the internet." Izuku was still in too much shock to respond to that. However, he flinched back as the man lifted the left side of his shirt, showing off a massive black, blue, and purple bruise where parts of his chest seemed to be caved in.

"Five years ago... an enemy did this to me." He explained, his eyes trailing over the marks. "My respiratory system was nearly destroyed, and by stomach was removed. I've wasted away because of the aftereffects of those surgeries. I can only do my hero work for about three hours a day now."

"Five years ago? Was that when you fought Toxic Chainsaw?" Izuku muttered, Casey becoming slightly pale as he looked at the injuries.

"That lowlife? He could never do this to me! Though you've certainly done your homework." All Might let out a strained chuckle before growing serious once more. "This was never made public. That is, I **asked** that it not be made public."

"I can see why..." Casey commented faintly.

"A Symbol Of Peace who saved people with a smile... must **never be daunted by evil.** "

"The reason I smile is to stave off the overwhelming pressure and fear I feel." He admitted, making Izuku flinch.

"A pro should always be ready to risk their life. Without power, can one become a hero? No... I should think not." He told the boys, looking almost regretful. 

"...bullshit." Casey whispered angrily, clenching a fist and glaring the downed hero in the eye. He turned back to his friend, who seemed frozen in shock.

"Excuse me, young man, but-" All Might started, but quickly silenced as the teen glared daggers at him to shut up.

"Izuku, what about that one guy you told me about? That underground hero who's Quirk didn't make him any stronger or anything, it just stopped other people's powers? Eraserhead?" Casey turned to face him fully, leaning down to force Izuku to look him in the eye.

"Casey, you know he's right... it's All Might..." Izuku muttered sadly, doing his best not to cry in front of his idol and his friend.

"Just because he's the Number 1 Hero in Japan doesn't mean he's right about everything!" Casey almost shouted, grabbing Izuku by his shoulders and giving him a shake. "You CAN be a hero and I won't let you give up on your dream!"

The sound of a door slamming caused the two teens to look up, turning to see the rooftop access door bouncing open slightly, with All Might nowhere to be seen.

* * *

As the duo began their trek back home once more, Izuku glanced sadly down at his notebook, his thoughts swirling between his teacher's comments, Bakugo's, and All Might's.

 _"Even the best of the best said it..."_ He thought morosely, wiping his nose against the back of his hand. _"Don't cry! You already knew, right? This is reality..."_

"Izuku, I-" Casey started but was interrupted by the sounds of a familiar explosion. The duo whipped their heads to where a crowd was gathered, Izuku's eyes widening in shock as he caught sight of the sludge villain from before.

"Did All Might let him go?! No... he must have dropped him! That means... this is my fault!" The greenette exclaimed, walking closer to the crowd with Casey by his side.

"Hey, why're the heroes just standing around?" One of the watchers questioned.

"'Parently the villain grabbed a middle schooler." Another answered, making Izuku cover his mouth in an effort not to throw up.

_"Grabbed? So someone's enduring that same pain?!"_

"Isn't that the villain the same one All Might was chasing earlier?" Another voice questioned, making the two teens flinch. "He'll stop him!"

_"We need someone with the right Quirk to show up!"_

"Izuku... is this the guy who almost killed you earlier?" Casey questioned under his breath, getting a shaky nod from his friend. Casey slowly pulled a case from his pocket, opening it to reveal a few Nintendo Switch cartridges.

As Izuku watched, the teen inside the sludge monster managed to struggle forward, his red eyes making contact with Izuku's own.

"Oh fu-" Casey was cut off as Izuku raced forward, busting past the line of heroes blocking off the crowd.

"Get back here, you fool! Stop!!" One of the heroes roared, reaching forward in vain. Another stopped Casey from rushing forward as well.

"It's that kid." The sludge monster growled, watching as the greenette rushed towards them.

"Deku?" Bakugo questioned, watching through a gap as the idiot and his own personal extra approached.

 _"Why am I running? What am I doing? Why?!"_ Izuku thought to himself, watching in terror as the monster and his... friend...? lunged at him.

"Izuku, blind it!" Casey called, pulling open a slot on the skin of his left hand and forcing a cartridge into it. It began to glow as Casey ripped a Pokeball from his belt, a pink glow going from his bracelet to surround it.

"Eep!" Izuku squeaked, pulling his bag from his back and throwing it at the monster's eyes with all his strength.

"Argh!" It cried out in pain, pulling away just enough for Bakugo to get his mouth free.

"Kacchan!" Izuku cried out, reaching and trying to rip away more sludge.

"You! Why?!" Bakugo asked desperately, glaring at the boy even as he kept trying to get free.

"My legs just started moving! Why? I dunno!!"

_There were any number of reasons._

_There's no hope._

_Thanks! I'll try!_

_It's my fault._

_You think you can rub shoulders with me?!_

_Kacchan._

_No harm in trying._

_My dream._

_A super cool hero._

_Saving people with a smile._

_But at that moment..._

"You... you looked like you needed saving." He shouted, a watery grin on his face.

"Stop... it!" The sludge monster demanded, covering Bakugo's mouth once more. "Just a bit longer... so stop getting in my way!" An arm of sludge swung towards Izuku.

"Someone stop him! He'll die for nothing!" Someone screamed. Though a moment later, the sound of a large object hitting the ground sounded behind the crowd, making everyone pause for a moment.

"Squirtle, use Ice Beam!" Casey commanded, the Dynamax Pokemon behind him giving a loud cry as icy energy blasted forward. At the same moment, a hand grabbed onto Izuku and Bakugo's wrists.

"The lesson I left you with... I should practice what I preach!" All Might shouted, blood dripping from his jaws.

 **"A pro should always be ready to risk their life! DETROIT SMASH!!"** The hero punched the ground, causing the liquid form of the sludge villain to fly upwards in all directions. The following moment, the sludge was frozen into a grotesque ice statue, the energy from the Ice Beam keeping it all in one place.

"Good job Squirtle..." Casey muttered as he began to sway, his energy spent from powering the Dynamax transformation. Before he could fall over, the firefighting hero, Backdraft, managed to steady him, while his Squirtle grabbed hold of his other pant leg.

"Kid, I don't know what you did, but you could be a real help to the fire department." He whispered, making Casey grin slightly but shake his head.

"Yeah, but I gotta keep that knuckle head out of trouble. The hero path is the one for me." He admitted, watching as Izuku was scolded by the other pro heroes. Backdraft shook his head, whether it was in amusement or not, Casey couldn't tell.

* * *

Izuku was slightly downcast as Casey and he approached his home, wishing he could apologize to All Might, but knowing he was probably busy.

"Hey, Deku!!" Bakugo's angry tones carried well in the empty street, making Izuku turn while Casey just offered a glare over his shoulder.

"I never asked you to save me! As if you could anyway! I could've beaten him on my own!" He growled, twitching as if the whole conversation was painful. "How dare a Quirkless failure like you pity me... trying to win me over?! Don't you dare mock me!! Stupid nerds!" He turned and stormed off, muttering under his breath the whole way.

"What a tough guy." Izuku whispered, making Casey snort.

"He's like a god damn pomeranian." He muttered, snickering to himself.

"I AM HERE!" All Might announced, dashing from beside the yard of the next house in his muscle form.

"What're you doing here?" Casey questioned shortly, still angry over what he had said earlier.

"You were surrounded by reporters..." Izuku pointed out, making All Might laugh.

"Shaking them off is nothing to me! After all, I'm ALL MI-" He was cut off by his body shrinking down, a mouthful of blood being spit to the side.

"Kid. I've come to thank you and revise what I said earlier... I also have a **proposal**."

"Huh?"

"Without you... if i hadn't heard your story... I'd be nothing but fake muscles and insincerity! So thank you!"

"What does that even mean...?" Casey whispered to himself.

"That... no. I mean, it was all my fault from the start anyway! I got in your way... even though I'm Quirkless, I dared ask if..." Izuku trailed off.

"Exactly!"

Izuku's head popped up, staring at his idol in confused awe.

"Of all the people at the scene, it was only **_you_** , timid and Quirkless, who acted in time! **Y** **ou spurred me into action!** "

"Most of the top heroes show signs of greatness even as children. Many claim that their bodies simply moved before they could think! That's what happened to you back there, yes?!" All Might questioned, watching as Izuku began to cry.

"Yes..." he choked out, almost already knowing what his Hero was going to say.

**"YOU _CAN_ BE A HERO."**

_I forgot to mention this, but... this is the story of how I became a great hero._

_ And what am I? Chopped liver?! _

_Haha, well, how **we** became great heroes!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooooo, I didn't expect it to be this long!
> 
> So I want your opinions on an idea I'm toying with for this story as well: having Phineas and Ferb as students in the support class. Phineas would have an intelligence boosting Quirk, while Ferb's would allow him to alter space/reality, but only when working together with his brother.  
> I would even include Perry the Platypus and OWCA, possibly passing them off as Quirked animals.  
> Let me know what you think, or of I should have that as it's own one shot.


	6. I Can Go The Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku is given the opportunity of a lifetime, while Casey decides to learn some new skills of his own, along with making a shocking discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, Casey isn't going to have a set team of Pokemon. While some of them will show up more than others, besides Pikachu (who will be in this chapter briefly), I want to show as many as I can.

**"I believe you're worthy of inheriting my power!"** All Might declared, making Izuku stop clearing the tears from his eyes. He looked up, confused at the comment. 

"I'm asking you if you want to _try_ accepting my power!" The pro continued, dramatically pointing to the greenette while coughing up another glob of blood.

"What do you mean? 'Accepting your power'?" Casey questioned, eyes narrowed in suspicion. All Might almost seemed to forget he was there, startling slightly as he wiped his mouth.

"It concerns my Quirk, kid. The tabloids like to take guesses that it's 'Super Strength' or a 'Power Boost', but I make sure to avoid the question in interviews, usually by cracking jokes. Because the 'Symbol Of Peace' has to come off as a natural born hero."

"But my Quirk was _passed down to me_. Like the Olympic torch." He declared, spreading his arms.

"Passed down to you..? Really?!" Izuku exclaimed in shock, while Casey's eyes narrowed even more.

"Yes. And now it may be your turn."

"H-h-hold on a second." Izuku stuttered, his brain going a mile a minute as he began muttering theories under his breath. While he usually would have gone on for a while, he was snapped back to the present by the sound of a fist colliding with flesh.

 ** _"You bastard!"_** Casey growled, his fist still extended from the punch he had thrown at All Might's jaw. The Hero barely seemed phased, turning his head back to make eye contact with the fuming teen. "You told him that he _couldn't be a hero_ without a Quirk and you're telling us that there's a Quirk that can be _passed on?! You mother fu-_ "

He was cut off abruptly when Izuku threw a hand over his mouth, continuing to rant while Izuku looked at his friend in shock.

"I'm so sorry! He's never usually like that and he was just defending me and-" The teen rushed to explain, but was silenced as All Might let out a bark of laughter.

"It's fine, young man! Truly, I did deserve that for my ill thought words to you on the rooftop!" He waved off Izuku's apology, giving him a reassuring smile as Casey seemed to lose steam, simply glaring daggers at the man.

"Thin. Ice." He hissed, small sparks seeming to race across the skin by his left hand. The pro hero nodded, though he didn't seem overly concerned. 

"I have the ability to transfer my power, that's the Quirk I inherited! It is called..." He paused, holding his palm up as energy seemed to gather in his hand.

"One For All!"

"One... for all?" Izuku questioned, making the man nod.

"The first person cultivates the power and then passes it to another. The next refines it and passes it on again, over and over as the power grows!"

"But all this power... why me?" Izuku hesitated, his doubts returning.

"Because I've been searching for a successor for a while now, and I believe that you are worthy!" All Might shouted, pointing to the boy dramatically. "You may be Quirkless, but back at the villain attack you were more heroic than **anyone else!** "

"Seriously, was I not there or something?" Casey grumbled, though the corner of his lips twitched into a smile as he nudged Izuku on the shoulder. The teen gave him a watery grin before turning back to his idol.

"But of course, the decision is yours! What do you say?" All Might asked, watching as Izuku rubbed his face on his school uniform.

 _"He's told me his greatest secrets, and believes I can do it! What else could I say?!_ " He thought, lowering his arm to stare All Might in the eye.

"Yes, I accept!" He declared, making All Might grin.

"A quick answer. I expected nothing less." He admitted, pushing his hair back before becoming somber once more. "Though no one else may know about-"

"What about his mom?" Casey interjected, causing Izuku to freeze. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

"She's gonna notice if her _son_ suddenly starts showing a Quirk." The taller teen pointed out, making All Might sweat.

"Alright, fine, but no one _else_ may know! If it comes out that One For All can be transferred, everyone will want to get their hands on it." The pro stressed, making the two teens nod in agreement.

* * *

"Izuku! Casey! You're both alright! I was so worried when I saw the news earlier!" Inko Midoriya swept the two teens up into a bone-crushing hug as they walked into the Midoriya home.

"Auntie Inko, can't... breathe!" Casey gasped dramatically, giving the shorter woman a grin as she leaned back and smacked his shoulder, a glare on her face.

"You! You're lucky Pikachu managed to sleep through the news report or else he would've fired your brain! And Dynamaxing?! You _know_ that drains you!" She scolded before turning to the third figure who had entered her home. "Oh, who's this?"

"Ah, mom, we have a bit of a long story..." Izuku muttered, glaring at his friend as he made an escape towards the kitchen. He lead his mom and the skinny form of All Might to the nearby couch, placing himself in a loveseat across from them.

"I'll grab some drinks and- oh, hey Pikachu! Did you miss me while I was at schooooooo... what're you doing? No, no don't! I was safe I- aghhhhhhh!" Casey was cut off, his sounds of pain accompanied by flashes of yellow as All Might looked on in concern.

"Is he alright? Shouldn't someone check on him?" He questioned, making Izuku snort.

"Nah, he's fine. Pikachu is probably just scolding him." Izuku explained, glancing back towards the doorway as his friend staggered back into the room, his hair sticking up in every direction while smoke seemed to rise off the ends.

"I'm okay!" He declared, collapsing onto the other sofa as the yellow form of Pikachu bound onto his back, making him grunt. "Less okay, but still alive."

"Young man, while I am familiar with Pokemon as a whole, where did you manage to get such creatures?" All Might asked, slowly reaching his hand to the Pokemon. Pikachu took a suspicious sniff before carefully rubbing his head against the fingers.

"It's a part of my Quirk: I can bring video game characters and items into the real world, making them real as you and me. Though I can't seem to bring some over, mostly legendary Pokemon for example, or boss characters from other games." The teen told him, turning so one eye could glance out from the couch cushion. "Psychic type Pokemon are almost impossible for me to summon, except for the lower tier ones. We think it's something to do with the fact that they can talk."

"Indeed? Quite an amazing Quirk you have there." All Might complemented, watching as Casey sat up and played with his hands. The teen opened a slot that blended in with his skin, popping out a small cartridge and showing it to him.

"Thank you. I used to need to keep the game in at all times to keep them around, but as I got older I could sustain the Pokemon even without the games, at least without doing any of the flashier bits. Plus..." he trailed off, lifting a finger.

Before their eyes, it seemed to transform into a flesh colored USB drive, then into a micro sd card, and so on and so forth.

"I can apparently download data straight into my head, but too much gives me migraines. The benefit there, though, is I don't have to worry about swapping the games out."

"How many games do you have now anyway?" Izuku questioned.

"Welp, I have the Pokemon games all downloaded and beaten, a few of the Super Mario games along with Sonic, plus a few that I can't get to work still."

"Still trying for that weapon, huh?" Izuku commented knowingly, making Casey scowl a bit.

"Why wouldn't I? Then I could probably use magic and stuff!" He defended, ignoring the slight snickers from the greenette.

"But would anyone take you seriously swinging that thing around?" Izuku joked, yelping slightly as a pillow flew at his face.

"Enough, Honey. You said you had a story?" Inko prompted, ignoring Casey's laughter at the betrayal on Izuku's face.

"Ah, right, um..." He stuttered, weakly gesturing to the skeletal man on the opposite couch. "This is All Might."

Inko simply stared at her son, shifted her gaze to the other man, then turned towards her pseudo-nephew, who only nodded.

"Right... maybe you should start from the beginning." She suggested, sagging into the cushions.

* * *

"...and now he's offering to train me and give me his Quirk." Izuku finished, nibbling on a cookie. Casey was half dozed on the other couch, Pikachu curled up on his chest while All Might fidgeted, visibly nervous at the blank look on Inko's face.

"Izuku, Honey, why don't you and Casey go rest? I'm sure you're exhausted after such a stressful day." She said mildly. Izuku only gulped in response, half dragging Casey off the couch and towards his room. As soon as the door clicked shut, Inko whirled around to face All Might, her expression a mask of fury.

"How could you say something like that to him?! He's looked up to you forever! You could have crushed his dreams!" She bit out, refraining from screaming and doing her best to not strangle the Number One Hero of Japan.

"I'll admit, the way I answered him was not the smartest, however I didn't want him to-" He began to defend himself, though his teeth cracked shut at the angry sound from the floor. Looking down, Pikachu was glaring at him with sparks dancing across it's cheek pouches.

"Pikachu, enough, though I appreciate the help." Inko ordered, reaching down to scoop the Pokemon into her arms. Pikachu kept his glare locked onto the blonde, scowling but relenting his sparks.

"If he does this, he will be safe, yes? You'll teach him how to defend himself and be careful?" She questioned. Even though Inko was substantially shorter, she seemed to loom over All Might.

"I will do everything in my power to keep him safe." He vowed, putting a hand over his heart. Inko glared at him for a moment longer before nodding, her threatening aura disappearing in a blink.

"Well, would you like to stay for dinner?" She asked, pointedly ignoring the happy cheers coming from Izuku's room.

* * *

Two days later found All Might and the two teens at a trash covered beach. The pro hero was sitting on top of a refrigerator that Izuku was attempting to pull.

"This fridge is quite comfortable! It would be even nicer with a bit of movement." All Might called, making Izuku scowl slightly as he flopped onto the sand. Nearby, Casey was attempting to move a group of old mailboxes while a Lucario went through some martial arts stances.

"Why am I dragging garbage across the beach anyway?" Izuku panted, sitting up slightly.

"Because you are an ill-suited vessel!"

"What?! But you said I was worthy the other day!" He exclaimed in dismayed shock, punching the sand in frustration. 

"Your body! I meant your body isn't ready!" All Might hastened to explain, snapping a quick picture of Izuku before hiding his phone away.

"My Quirk binds the physical strength of many people into one! Your limp noodle body isn't prepared! Your limbs would pop right off!"

"O-okay..." The greenette stuttered, the image of his limbs all flying off disturbing him. "So I'm here to train my body by... hauling trash?"

 **"Yes!"** All Might shouted, giving Izuku a thumbs up. Before he could continue, Casey's shout of anger caused the two to look over to the other teen.

"I get having to train the body, but this thing is too damn _heavy!_ " He screamed in frustration, pulling a leg back to kick the offending piece of garbage. He didn't seem to notice his leg get covered in a glowing blue light, and before All Might or Izuku could warn him, his leg shot forward.

Upon making contact with the steel container, the light flared and there was a resounding 'boom!' as the mailboxes impacted another pile of trash at least thirty feet away. The trio could only look on in stunned silence.

"...what was that?" Izuku whispered, sounding loud across the silent beach. He turned to his friend to try and figure it out, when he noticed something... off about him. "What happened?!"

"Young Moore, you've seemed to gain some additional features..." All Might called, causing said teen to freeze. He quickly turned towards a broken mirror that was lying a few feet away, his eyes wide at his reflection.

A black mask covered his eyes and nose, wrapping around the back of his head where it seemed to split into four almost dreadlock-like features hanging behind his hair. A pair of black fingerless gloves were on his hands, each having a metal spike poking out the back, which matched the one poking out of his chest. A pair of tall black boots covered his jeans up to his knees.

"Why do I look like a Lucario?!" Casey freaked out, lifting his hands to his hair. He froze, feeling a weight on his lower back. "...do I have a tail?!"

"If I said no, would you believe me?" Izuku asked rhetorically, snorting as the boy turned to try and reach his new tail, but outright laughing when he was forced to go in circles.

"Young Moore, you must calm down!" All Might ordered, placing one large hand on the teen's shoulder to stop his spinning. Casey glanced up at him in wide-eyed fear, his breaths coming in short gasps as he panicked. "Follow my lead and breathe."

The pro hero took a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. He kept eye contact with the teen as he began to follow his lead, Casey slowly starting to sag as he relaxed.

"Thank you." He whispered sincerely, getting a smaller, realer grin from the bigger man.

"Panic attacks are normal when we experience new facets of our Quirks." All Might spoke calmly, helping the teen stand up again. "Now, I'm assuming you've never done this before? And where is Lucario?"

"This is new, yeah..." Casey trailed off, looking over at where Lucario had been doing his kata and seeing nothing there. Yet when the thought of his Pokemon going missing, there was no panic, only a sense of reassurance, though it seemed to be tinged with... exasperated amusement? 

"I... I think he's in my head?" He confessed, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. The feeling moved from amusement to what seemed like agreement.

"So you and Lucario are merged? I wonder if it's because of your anger or if any strong emotion will trigger it? And why Lucario and not Pikachu, since he was your first Quirk use? Or is it because of the similar anatomy? Could it be based on..." Izuku's vocal thoughts trailed off into incomprehensible mutterings, bringing a soft smile onto Casey's face.

"Izuku, we can figure this out later, for now I feel... fine. Actually, I feel better than fine! I feel like I could move the trash easily!" Casey grinned, feeling assurances in the back of his mind.

"That's wonderful, young Moore! However!" All Might interjected, holding up a finger for effect. "That would defeat the point of the exercise in training your body! One day, you may come across an enemy who your Quirk will not be effective against." His point was punctuated by his form shrinking down once more, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

The joyful mood quickly sobered, Izuku and Casey each nodding seriously. In the back of his mind, Casey swore he heard grumbling.

_'...protect...'_

A soft smile stole over his face, the feeling of love and protection filling him completely. A flash of light blinded the trio and by the time it had faded, Casey was back to normal, with Lucario standing beside him once more. Though a moment later, both the pokemon and summoner swayed, passing out.

"Casey!" Izuku cried out, starting to rush forward to catch them. Before he even made it a step, All Might was there, cradling the duo carefully to his broad chest.

"He seems exhausted, Young Midoriya. I shall put him in the truck to rest, and hopefully he and Lucario will wake soon."

* * *

"Ugh... what happened?" Casey slurred, his head lolling to the side with the motion of the truck. Next to him, All Might (in his true form) was driving, while Lucario was still asleep in the other seat.

"You seemed to use up your energy during the transformation. However, you have only been asleep for about an hour." The man explained, pulling into a recycling yard. Casey shook his head slightly, carefully pulling a Pokeball from his belt and returning Lucario.

"I feel like I ran a mile." He admitted, watching as a man approached the window. He and All Might had a quick conversation, the man handing him a stack of bills, while a few others came over to unload the scrap from the bed of the truck.

"That is why I'm going to train you, as well as Midoriya: One For All requires a vessel that can handle all the power, while your Quirk may be similar, at least for the fusions." All Might theorized, carefully wiping a drop of blood from his chin. Before he could continue, the man from before and gave a quick rap on the window.

"Good to go, Yagi-San! Have a nice day!" He waved, moving off to help his workers while the duo drove off, Casey tilting his head at the driver.

"Yagi?" He prompted, earning a sigh.

"My name while in this form, to keep the true identity of All Might a secret." Yagi told him, heading back towards the beach. He carefully reached down, keeping one hand on the wheel while bringing up a packet of papers and handing them to the teen.

" _'Passing the test, the American Dream Plan'_?" Casey read aloud, flipping through the packet with wide eyes. "You planned how much I'll sleep?!"

"Young Midoriya said the exact same thing!" The blonde laughed, a small grin on his face. He sobered quickly, glancing at Casey from the corner of his eye. "I will not lie to you, while your plan will not be as strenuous as Midoriya's, it will still be tough. Do you think you can do it?"

Casey looked down, his hand clenching as he thought. Almost in response, the Pokeballs on his belt shook in reassure, while the slot on his hand seemed to glow.

"I won't give up." He whispered solemnly, missing the satisfied grin on Yagi's lips.

* * *

_So began ten hellish months!_

Casey followed Lucario's movements through the katas, his arms straining at the weight of the scrap metal he was forced to hold. Nearby, Izuku was running towards the truck with a large tire on each shoulder.

"Run, Young Midoriya! Ten months will pass before you know it, and you must be ready!" Yagi called, watching each of the teens. "Young Moore! Make sure your forms match Lucario's exactly!"

"I can't wait to have to explain this to my parents when they get back." Casey groaned, straining through the next step. Lucario gave an amused huff, gently adjusting his stance before continuing. 

"Are they... still in London?" Izuku questioned, huffing as he passed by to gather more scrap.

"Yeah, but they should be back this weekend." Casey muttered, thinking quietly as he followed the movements of his Pokemon.

* * *

Thankfully for the duo, they had a day to rest since school resumed the next day, though both teens seemed to be half asleep. Casey could barely keep his eyes open, half listening to Izuku's muttering about his own workout plan.

His attention was drawn back when the teacher's fist bonked down on Izuku's head, making Casey take note that the other students were all staring at them and snickering.

"I can't believe he's still trying to get into U.A." One of the other teens muttered, earning a glare from the bespectacled teen.

* * *

"Casey, we're home!" Anna called, her voice carrying through the house. When no response came, she furrowed her brow. Usually Casey replied right away, especially when he knew when they were coming back from a work trip.

"Mrowww!" Another voice seemed to answer, making Anna glance down as John carried a bag through the door behind her. On the floor, a red and black cat sat primly at her feet, a folded piece of paper in its mouth.

"Whatcha got there, Litten?" John questioned, placing the bag down and taking the note from the fire type Pokemon.

 _'Welcome home! I'm probably asleep by now, exhausted from training. Doing physical fitness with Izuku and a teacher. Any questions, ask Auntie Inko. -Love, Casey'_ The note read, the handwriting slightly wobbly towards the end. As John handled the note over to his wife, he pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

 _"Midoriya residence, Inko speaking."_ A voice greeted from the other end.

"Hey Inko, it's John! Anna and I just got back from our trip and found a note from Casey. Something about a teacher and physical classes?" He questioned, gently scratching Litten between the ears.

 _"Oh! Yes, he and Izuku decided they wanted to get in shape for the U.A. entrance exams, and found a teacher to help them. I've met him and assure you, he's trustworthy."_ The woman explained, making John sigh in relief.

"Well as long as you've met him, that should be fine: you're a good judge of character."

_"Why thank you! Was there anything else you needed?"_

"No, no, that was all. I'll let you get back to what you were doing. Hope to see you soon."

* * *

Over the next few months, the routine stayed mostly the same, Izuku slowly moving larger pieces of scrap while Casey began to flow through more complex katas, both while Lucario led him and while the two were merged. As time went on, he began to merge with his various other Pokemon, though none came as easily as Lucario did.

Izuku and Casey were following after Yagi, who was riding a segways through a park, each teen carrying a large board on one shoulder.

Casey was managing to stay closer to the segway, though he paused when a loud thud sounded behind him, Yagi stopping as well and turning in surprise.

"Izuku?!" Casey gasped, dropping his load and turning to his friend, who was wheezing on the ground.

"My 'Pass the test, American Dream' plan, was designed based on what you'd need to do to with your body specifically to make you ready before the exam date... but you _haven't_ stuck to the plan." Yagi accused, watching with hard eyes as Izuku flinched from his place on the ground.

"Overdoing it is going to make things worse! You want to pass, right? We're gonna be heroes together!" Casey scolded, offering a hand to his friend. Izuku shook, pushing himself up slightly to look straight at Yagi.

"I do..." He began, wheezing more. "But I don't want to _just_ pass! I have to work harder than anyone else to make it... I'll never catch up otherwise!"

His fists clenched as tears sprung to his eyes.

"I want to be like you! The strongest hero." He declared, forcing himself up and grabbing Casey's hand. The taller teen wrapped a steadying arm around his shoulders, grinning widely at Yagi's stunned look.

"You blind fanboy!" All Might bellowed, steam rising off his for and his smile huge as he took in Izuku's exhausted form. "I get where you're coming from, but this is no time to panic! I will modify the plans for you!"

"Hey, don't lump me in with this crazy!" Casey protested, laughing slightly as they continued their jog.

* * *

_Three months later, Exam day, 6 A.M._

Yagi pulled up to the beach in his old pickup truck, a yawn splitting his face in two for a moment as he approached the entrance. He began to walk down towards the sand before suddenly pulling a 180 degree turn, staring in shock at the pile of scrap already waiting nearby.

Izuku stood atop the pile, chest bare as he screamed his triumph to the world from on top of a rusted truck. Casey was leaning his back against the hood, meeting All Might's wide-eyed stare with a proud grin of his own. Both teens were drenched in sweat, the sun just beginning to rise behind them.

"You made it just in time! And exceeded my expectations!" Yagi called, shivering slightly in amazement. He suddenly transformed into his All Might form, dashing forward to catch Izuku, who had started to fall forward from exhaustion. 

"All Might, we... we did it! We _did it!_ " The greenette whispered, watching as Casey climbed down from the pile after them.

"Astounding! You're a real entertainer! And as a teen, no less!" All Might complemented, placing Izuku upright on the sand. He pulled out his phone and opened a picture file. "Here, take a look!"

"He's not a stripper, Sensai!" Casey joked, laughing uproariously as Izuku blushed beat red.

"What's this...?" Izuku questioned, leaning forward to get a better look. Casey leaned over his shoulder slightly, snickering at the picture of Izuku back when the training had first started, on the sand with tears in his eyes.

"It's you, ten months ago." All Might explained, gesturing from the picture to his current state. "You've done excellent work, truly!"

"Holy shit, I didn't realize how shredded you got!" Casey exclaimed, giving a low whistle at Izuku's muscles. The greenette only blushed as he huffed for breath, turning to give Casey a poke in the shoulder.

"You're almost as muscled as I am." He noted, grinning at his friend's dramatic acting, as if Izuku had punched him instead. All Might cleared his throat, returning their attention to the pro hero.

"You know, they say there's a big difference between being born with a silver spoon and working your butt off to earn it." He began, plucking a hair from his head.

"Take this to heart, kid. **Y** **ou've earned this power, fair and square!** "

He held the hair out towards Izuku, a small twinkle in his eye.

 _"Now eat this._ _"_ He intoned, making Izuku's brain freeze.

"Huh?!" Casey gaped, seeming to speak for both of them.

"It doesn't matter what you eat, as long as you get my DNA! Now hurry!"

"Didn't see that coming." Izuku remarked, shrugging before quickly swallowing the hair.

"...so do you feel any different?" Casey questioned, grabbing a water bottle and his tee shirt from a nearby bag, passing one over to Izuku. The other teen gave him a grateful look as he washed his mouth out.

"Not really... but we have to hurry! The entrance exam is in three hours!" Izuku exclaimed, panicking slightly. Casey paled as well, the two turning and bowing to All Might.

"ThankyouSenseibutwehavetogogetready!" The words were rushed out as the duo ran off towards their homes, making a sweat drop form on the back of All Might's head.

"I... could have driven them home, had they asked."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I name dropped both Mario and Sonic, they weren't featured as summons yet because I wanted to focus on the newer aspect of Casey's quirk: the merging.
> 
> It's not necessarily Casey gaining all the powers of what he merges with, but they do offer him a boost to his own abilities, along with some others.
> 
> For example, while he didn't necessarily use it, Casey would be capable of sensing Aura while merged with Lucario, which would make him a boon to rescue missions.
> 
> Casey will be able to merge with other characters he summons as well, but I don't want him to be too OP right now, so there won't be legendary Pokemon, or characters that would give him god tier abilities. 
> 
> Can anyone guess the weapon Izuku and Casey were referring to? As a hint, I'll tell you that it's going to be crucial later on in the story.


	7. Entrance Exam, Level Start!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The obligatory entrance exam chapter is here! Though Izuku hasn't had a chance to use One For All yet, that doesn't mean he's completely hopeless... right?
> 
> Casey simply can't waste an opportunity given to him on a silver platter though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even more cameos! Though I'll explain them more at the end.

After each of the teens rushed home to shower and grab their bags, they managed to catch a subway ride over to the U.A. entrance. Izuku grit his teeth as he stared up at the huge building, determination in his posture. Beside him, Casey was flipping through his phone, his own nerves hidden to just his twitching fingers.

"Move aside, Deku!" The familiar voice of Katsuki Bakugo barked from behind them. Casey only sighed as he pocketed his phone, watching as Izuku turned to face the other teen.

"M-morning Kacchan, let's both do..." He trailed off when Bakugo walked past, ignoring the two and keeping his head down.

"Morning, Sunshine!" Casey called sarcastically. The bright blonde only flipped him off over his shoulder, not even bothering to break his stride towards the school.

"Casey, don't antagonize him." Izuku scolded halfheartedly, turning back to the path. His determination returned as he took a step forward, though the image was shattered as he began to fall due to a loose brick. Before Casey could even reach out to grab him, another hand slapped onto the greenette's backpack, making it float upwards and stopping his momentum.

"Are you alright?" A cheerful voice asked, Izuku's face going beet red as he was lowered to the ground. He turned, coming face to face with a brown haired girl, her smile wide as she clapped her hands together.

"I'm sorry for using my Quirk on you without permission, but it's a bad omen to trip and fall." She continued, not seeming to notice Izuku's stuttering or Casey's growing amusement. 

"Ya, uh, um..." Izuku couldn't seem to get any words out, so Casey decided to take pity on him.

"He's saying 'thank you' but he's still half asleep. We do appreciate the save though, and good luck to you during the exam." The taller teen interjected, nodding his head at her. He subtly elbowed his friend in the side, making him nod.

"G-good luck to you!" He squeaked out, blushing madly as the girl gave a cheerful wave, making her way towards the exam room.

"Smooth, Izuku, real smooth." Casey mocked with a grin, the duo following shortly after.

* * *

_"Welcome to today's live performance! Everybody say 'Hey!'"_ A voice boomed across the auditorium, coming from the man up front. His hair was completely stuck up like a bird's Crest, a pair of sunglasses covering his eyes, and a device around his neck that looked like a pair of speakers.

The resounding silence from the students in the audience didn't seem to deter him, gesturing wildly as he continued. 

"Well that's cool, my examinee listeners! I'm here to present the guidelines to your practical! Are you ready?! **_YEAH!_** " He boomed out.

Izuku was excitedly muttering under his breath, fanboying over the teacher who's radio show he listened to weekly. On his left, Casey couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he introduced a Loudred or an Exploud to the man.

"Shut up." Bakugo bit out from the greenette's other side.

"This is how the test is gonna play out, listeners! You'll be doing ten minute long 'mock city maneuvers'! After the presentation, you'll each head to your assigned cityscape location. It's been done this way so kids from the same schools can't team up!" Present Mic explained, a map appearing on the screen behind him.

"Well, that explains a lot." Casey whispered, looking down at his paper once more.

"I'll crush 'em all. But you two will live to see another day." Bakugo grunted, scoffing as if the thought offended him on a personal level.

"Do you have any other hobbies besides threatening us?" Casey hissed, half sarcastically while half serious. The blonde on Izuku's other side glared at him from the corner of his eye, seeming to think for a moment.

"...mountain climbing." He muttered seriously, pointedly ignoring the duo that gaped at him in surprise. Before Casey could come up with a response, the screen behind Present Mic changed, showing off some familiar silhouettes. 

"Each city will be filled with three kinds of faux villains, with points assigned to each type based on their difficulty level! Your goal is to use your Quirks to disable them and earn points!" Behind him, the silhouettes showed what was unmistakably Super Mario defeating various enemies, earning coins instead of points.

"Oh no..." Izuku groaned, seeing the wide grin on his friend's face. From the next seat over, Bakugo let out a small snort, whether it was amusement or not was unknown.

"However! Playing the antihero and attacking other examinees is prohibited!" The Voice hero explained, looking uncharacteristically grave. From a few seats forward, a hand shot into the air.

"May I ask a question?!" The owner called, standing to show the paper as well. He was tall like Casey, with jet black hair and square glasses.

"There appear to be no fewer than _four_ faux villains on this handout! And you, with the curly hair!" As he said this, he whipped around to point straight at Izuku, making him flinch in surprise.

"You've been muttering this whole time, it's distracting! If this is some sort of game to you, then please leave immediately!" He declared with a glare. Casey was about to respond in defense of his friend when Present Mic cleared his throat.

"Alright, alright, nice catch about the villains, examinee 7111! But the fourth variant is worth zero points, making it more of an obstacle. Have you played Super Mario Bros? The old retro game."

"The zero pointer is kind of like a Thwomp, with only one at each site! A 'gimmick' that'll rampage around in close quarters!" Casey's unholy grin from before widened, already knowing exactly what he was going to do for the exam.

"Thank you sir. I apologize for the interruption!" The black haired teen said quickly, sitting back in his seat.

"Whelp, that's all you're getting from me, little listeners! But I'll leave you with our school's motto." Present Mic said, grinning at them all.

_"Go beyond: **Plus Ultra!** "_

* * *

Casey glanced at the many different people assigned to his city, fiddling with the cartridge slot on his hand. While he had a plan in place, his nerves were still making him shake slightly.

 ** _"Go!!!_** ** _"_** Present Mic's voice called out of the speakers from behind the group, startling them all. The teens all looked to one another, surprise in their various expressions. "What, did you think battles and crime would start on a countdown? Go!"

Casey grit his teeth and charged through the gates, following a few of the other students. Mid run, his body glowed and outfit changed, turning into a pair of bright blue overalls with a red long sleeved shirt underneath. A pair of white gloves donned his hands, while a red cap landed on his head, a bold letter M on the front.

"Let's-A go!" He shouted in glee, making a bounding jump towards an alleyway. His brown boots slammed against one of the walls before he turned, springboarding upwards towards the opposite wall. He managed to wall jump his way up to the roof where he spotted multiple robots rampaging in the distance.

* * *

"Holy hell, did that kid just turn into Super Mario?!" Present Mic exclaimed with stars in his eyes, watching a monitor alongside the other teachers. Most of the others let out sighs, already knowing the man would want to talk to the teen after the test.

* * *

"Hey, Cappy? Think you can help me out with this exam?" He questioned to the seemingly empty air. On his head, the M of the hat was replaced with a pair of eyes that glanced over the city.

"No problem!" The hat replied, though all a nearby student heard was gibberish instead. With a grin, Casey jumped from roof to roof, quickly approaching a one pointer on the ground. As it turned to face him, Casey whipped the hat off his head and flung it forward, having it land right above the robot's eye.

"Woo hoo!" He cheered, his body seeming to stretch rapidly as it flew _inside_ the machine, the red eye changing to a blue-green color. Another one pointer came around the corner, scanning for students. It never expected one of the other machines to turn, firing into its servos point-blank and causing it to shut down.

"Let's go find some more!" Casey's mechanized voice rang out as he turned, stumbling slightly as he charged into the fray. He managed to launch some of the robot's missiles, blowing up a cluster of four others that were trying to line up a shot against a student with spring-like limbs.

The teen had blue hair that was shaped into a spiral, his fierce eyes also looked like they were springs as well. A magnenta mask covered the top half of his face, a matching chest plate overtop a white tee shirt and dark brown cargo shorts rounded out his appearance. Raising his boxing glove-covered fists, he hesitted as he stared at the possessed machine.

"I appreciate the assistance! But are you sure that you'll earn points that way?" He questioned. He was surprised a moment later when Casey's form bound out of the one pointer, a solid jump from it's eye casing putting it out of commission.

"I don't see why not. But would you want to work together? Some of the other bots seem a bit too much for just one student to handle alone." Casey offered, offering a clenched fist to the other teen. A wild grin overtook his face as he got a fist bump in return.

* * *

"Oho? Looks like we have a team-up this year." One of the teachers watching mentioned, writing something down on a notepad. One of the smaller forms in the room gave a sharp grin, his hand gently resting on a large red button.

"We'll find out what they're truly made of, now!" The being said mater-of-factly, watching as all the screens began to shake.

* * *

"Come on, man! I'm at least two points ahead!" Casey called, bouncing off the mechanical pincers of a two pointer. He put as much force as he could muster into his legs, shooting them down and causing the robot to slam into the concrete with a satisfying crunch.

"Then we're all tied up!" His new friend replied, his fist flying like a bullet through the chest of a three pointer that was beginning to creep up behind Casey. The teen scowled good naturedly, giving the blueette a careful punch to the shoulder.

"Thanks, Spring Man, but I totally had it!" Casey boasted, grinning. Before the duo could continue to banter, the entire city began to shake, while nearby one of the taller buildings started to collapse. 

"...they said that thing is a gimmick?!" The springy teen gaped, watching as a mountain of a machine forced its way around the corner, making the other examinees scream and flee from its lumbering footsteps.

"Run... run!" Casey commanded, turning and pushing his new friend down the path towards the entrance gate. Looking back, he took note that the Zero Pointer was gaining on them. He thought frantically, trying to devise a way to try and stall the machine.

"Sorry, Cappy, but I don't think we'll be enough for this." Casey apologized, a flash of light returning him to his regular clothing. He began to glow once again as Pikachu materialized, hopping onto the ground. Only this time, he was wearing a red and white cap of his own, a green symbol on the front.

"Pikachu, looks like we gotta bust out full power. You ready?" He asked with a grin, turning to face the Zero Pointer. Pikachu gave an determined nod, hopping up to give his trainer a fist bump, quickly turning to use his tail for a high five before he landed, mimicking Casey as they each threw a fist forward. A yellow glow surrounded the Pokemon while high above, storm clouds suddenly billowed into existence. 

* * *

"Holy shit..." Present Mic breathed, one of the few teachers not focused on Izuku Midoriya's complete annihilation of his area's Zero Pointer. A few of the other teachers gave the Voice Hero a questioning glance, prompting him to explain.

"What he's about to do is one of the most powerful moves from the game that Pikachu must be from... it's called-"

* * *

"10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt!" Casey shouted, watching as Pikachu leapt high into the sky. Electricity sparked off the small Pokemon, gathering in intensity as the skys above him rumbled.

"Pika Pika Pika **Pika PIKA!** " Pikachu _roared,_ seven different streaks of light blasting off his small form. Each of them went soaring towards the Zero Pointer, coming together against it's front chest plate. The energy surged for a moment before exploding into a tower of lightning, causing the students to gape when the monstrous machine exploded.

"All right, go Pikachu!" Casey cheered, reaching up to catch the falling Mouse Pokemon. His energy was completely spent, but he turned towards the springy teen and gave a wide smile.

 ** _"It's all over!!"_** Present Mic's voice boomed over the speakers once again, just as Casey collapsed into an exhausted heap on the ground. The teen he had been working with quickly rushed over to check on him.

* * *

"What are they feeding those kids from that middle school?!" One of the teachers asked, incredulous at the sight of the three destroyed Zero Pointers: The one Izuku Midoriya had smashed, the one Bakugo Katsuki had blown to smithereens, and finally the one that Casey Moore and his Pikachu had completely fried.

"Potential, my friend, potential." The smallest of them muttered gleefully, rubbing a pair of paws together.

* * *

"Hey there, little listener! Think I can get a moment if your time for a Q&A?" Present Mic's voice cut across the front courtyard of U.A., causing Casey to turn from where he was exchanging numbers with the boy he had met during his exam.

"I'll text you later, Gomm-San, see ya!" Casey said with a smile, waving to the blue-haired teen as he began to jog off. Casey and his Pikachu, still sporting his cap, made their way over to the Voice Hero, giving a small bow of greeting.

"That was some pretty impressive work in the exam, kiddo! I was hoping to ask about your Quirk, if you don't mind." Mic complimented, flipping the teen a pair of finger guns. Casey couldn't help but grin at the manic energy the pro gave off, giving his own thumbs up.

"Sure! I call it "Game Changer", since it let's me bring video game elements to the real world, and because I can change games on the fly." He explained as Pikachu examined the man, chattering happily when he got a scratch under the chin.

"Well, little listener, if you ever need anymore games to try out, let me know! I happen to have quite the collection myself." Mic offered, once again giving Casey a pair of finger guns. The teen gave a wide grin, nodding to the pro.

"Excuse me, but..." Another voice interrupted, causing the group to turn towards the doors where another student was emerging. It was the girl that had flustered Izuku that morning!

"Um, the curly-haired boy, with freckles... you know the one?" She asked, motioning to her hair as an example. Casey tilted his head to the side, frowning slightly, opened his mouth to correct her when he was stopped stone cold. "Can you give him some of the points I earned?!"

"What...?" Casey breathed, paling. Pikachu's eyes went wide and his ears went back, also understanding where the conversation was going.

"At the end, I heard him say, 'Just one point!' That means he didn't get any points, right...? Can he have at least however many points he gave up trying to save me?!" She pleaded to Present Mic, eyes shut in her panic. Neither she nor the teacher seemed to notice Casey run off, headed towards the subway station.

"Shit shit shit shit SHIT!" He cursed under his breath, nearly flying down the stairs with Pikachu clinging to his neck. He quickly swiped his pass and rushed through the entrance, looking on in dismay at the train leaving the platform. Izuku's form was frozen in one of the windows, his smile brittle and a faraway look in his eyes.

"Izuku..." He muttered sadly, Pikachu letting off a sad 'pika' as well. He whipped out his phone and shot a message to the greenette, hoping maybe it would help, but deciding to let Izuku talk to him when he was ready.

* * *

_A week later_

"Izuku... Izuku? _Izuku?!_ " The boy in question startled, almost as if he had awoken from a trance, looking over at his mother. Inko looked worried, making him feel guilty about his mood lately.

"Ah, I'm sorry mom, I'm okay..." He replied halfheartedly, looking down at his food. His mom reached her hand over, gently grasping one of his in hers.

"Did you and Casey have a fight? I haven't seen him since the exam." She questioned gently, making Izuku grimace. Casey hadn't been around? Why?

He must have spoken aloud, because his mom gave him a _look_.

"He sent Pikachu over with a letter, saying he wanted to give you space since you didn't seem to read his text." She commented lightly, no judgement in her tone. Izuku still flinched regardless, looking over at his phone by the couch.

"I... I better send him a message." He stammered weakly, Inko giving a slight nod of agreement.

_To Casey: I'm sorry I've been so out of it. I feel horrible for disappointing you, and all might, and mom... but I did what I thought was right in saving that girl._

He sent the message and quickly put down the phone, his attention grabbed by Inko rushing over with an envelope in her hands.

"Izuku, it's here!" She exclaimed, holding the envelope out to him. He took it carefully, his hands shaking the whole time as he stood. He moved back to the table, his food pushed away as he tore the letter open. He was surprised when no pieces of paper came out, a metal disk falling onto the table instead.

"This is a projection!" All Might's voice boomed from the virtual screen, his smile wide as he stood in a yellow pinstripe suit.

"I must apologize for my silence recently! There has been much to deliberate on. But you must know I'm in town for one reason only: I've come to teach at U.A."

"All Might is going to be at U.A. as well?" Inko questioned, peering at the projection over Izuku's shoulder.

"What's that you say? Get to the point?" All Might questioned to the person behind the camera, who made a pointing motion. "I can tell him anything else later? Very well..."

"Even if you pass the written portion, earing zero points in the practical naturally results in a failure." He said grimly, making Izuku clench his hand into a fist while his mother gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

 _"But that's not the end of the story!_ _"_

Izuku and Inko snapped their attention back to the recording, where All Might was gesturing to a screen in the background. It opened to the scene of Casey chatting with Present Mic as they were interrupted by the girl from the entrance exam. He watched in shock as the girl offered some of her own points to give to Izuku, while Inko was more focused on Casey running off, in what she assumed was the direction of the train station.

"You've acquired your Quirk, and you've moved others with your actions." All Might commented, his smile taking on a proud tinge. Izuku nearly upended the chair as he stood, the girl's cry of "He saved my life!" barely registering in his mind.

"The exam, you see, wasn't based all around villain points!" The Number One Hero explained, crossing his arms in an X shape. The screen focused back on Present Mic, who patted the girl on her head.

"I'm afraid we can't give him your points... but there shouldn't be a need for it, my little listener!"

"A hero course that rejects those who do the right thing is no hero course at all! _Rescue points_ were another way for U.A. to evaluate you!" All Might continued. "Sixty points for Izuku Midoriya! And while we're at it, fourty five for Ochaco Uraraka!"

 _"You're in."_ He intoned, holding his hand out.

**_"Come now, Midoriya! This will be YOUR HERO ACADEMIA!"_ **

The recording finished, blinking off as Izuku rubbed his eyes on his pajama sleeve. Inko let out a scream as she hugged him from behind, jumping for joy as the duo celebrated.

* * *

Casey looked on in stunned disbelief, John, Anna, and his various Pokemon all cheering at his results.

 _"40 rescue points! And 38 villain points! That puts you at the top of the leaderboards! Congrats, Moore, this is **your hero academia!"**_ The announcement kept repeating through his mind as they celebrated.

"One new message!" His phone chimed. As he unlocked it, his happy grin slid from his face.

_From Izuku: I'm sorry I've been so out of it. I feel horrible for disappointing you, and all might, and mom... but I did what I thought was right in saving that girl._

Before he could even begin to formulate a response, his phone chimed again.

_From Izuku: **I made it in!**_

Casey let out a loud whoop, his excitement returning as he told his family the good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, Spring Man from the Nintendo game "Arms" is going to be a student at U.A. as well, but in class 1-B instead. I'll tell you now that I'm going to be kicking Mineta into class 1-B as well, to keep the student numbers the same as canon.
> 
> Spring Man's real name is going to be the name of his voice actor, Peter Von Gomm. He won't be a main character but he'll show up from time to time.
> 
> I plan on having a few of the games that exist here not exist there, or at least they'll be edited so we can have more fun cameos like this.
> 
> While it's been shown that Mineta can be a pretty smart guy when he puts his mind to it, I can't really believe that they'd let someone so very obviously perverted into the top class.
> 
> And as for Casey using the Z-Move, while it may use up most of his energy, it still isn't an end all move: it was only so effective against the Zero Pointer because it was a machine, and became overloaded. Against other enemies, it might just give them a shock, but not incapacte them.


	8. Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey and Izuku have a chat, Bakugo starts to show how he really feels, and we get a new friend!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter fought me HARD. Hopefully things can start picking up steam. Also, I'm going to remove the MCU and DCU references, because I don't want to accidentally have things that would conflict with how the Academia-verse is run.

"Izuku, hey!" Casey called, waving on his approach to the beach. Pikachu gave a happy chirp, giving his own small wave from the teen's shoulder. The greenette gave them a small smile, rubbing the back of his neck with a small blush.

"Ah, Casey, Pikachu, I'm sorry again about..." He apologized, waving his hand slightly as if to reference the past week. Casey couldn't help but snort, pulling his friend into a one armed hug.

"I get it, no need to worry. Just don't do it again, yeah? As much as I liked having some time to work on hobbies, I did miss my friend." He chided lightly, watching as Pikachu climbed onto Izuku's shoulder instead. Before the duo could continue, they spotted All Might approaching in his skinnier form.

"Young Midoriya! Young Moore! Congratulations on passing the exams! I must also apologize for not speaking with you this week: I couldn't risk letting it slip early." The gaunt man explained. His smile was no less bright than when he was in his hero form, clapping each teen in the shoulder.

"It's alright, but thank you!" Izuku replied earnestly, barely able to contain his excitement. Casey grinned back at the duo while Pikachu added his own excited chittering.

* * *

That night, after the group had returned to their own homes, Casey laid in his bed and stared up at his ceiling in thought. Over the past few months of training, he had been able to summon stronger Pokemon and characters, but it bothered him that he couldn't seem to get certain characters, or even the weapons they used.

"I'm not gonna even _try_ to get the Buster Sword, because that thing is heavy as anything and I'm not gonna try to risk Mako injections." He muttered, running a hand through Pikachu's fur.

"And every time I try to bring out a magic-based character or power, it almost feels like the energy is resisting it. Same with psychic-type Pokemon..." He trailed off, half dozing off. Out of curiosity, he delved into his list of games that should _in theory_ work, but for some reason simply wouldn't.

"So Pokemon games mostly work, with the exception of legendary Pokemon, psychic-types, and human characters. Super Mario works for power-ups and such, same with Sonic... but then how come I can't summon the main characters?"

Out of frustration, he tried to summon one of the Pokemon on his team in-game, making the cartridge slot on his hand glow slightly. In a small flash of light, a regular Pokeball popped into his palm, making the teen shoot straight up in surprise.

"What the...?" He muttered, his eyes wide. Every time he tried to summon this particular Pokemon, the energy it felt like it would require was overwhelming. But it hadn't felt like that at all this time. He looked over at his sleeping Pikachu, who barely even seemed to twitch, before deciding to just roll with it.

"Come on out." Casey called softly, tossing the ball into the air. As the Pokrmon materialized on his bed, he absentmindedly caught the ball again, blinking at the silvery form. A singular black eye seemed to blink back at him, a golden hex nut tilting to the side in slight confusion. 

"Heya Meltan... I'm your trainer." Casey explained quietly, getting a happy squeal from the mythical Pokemon. Before the teen could truly process the new development, his body sagged into the bed as he passed out. The small Meltan simply cocked its head the other way before crawling into the crook of its trailer's arm, curling up to sleep.

* * *

"Casey, honey, wake up please."

The teen groaned as he rolled over slightly, not looking forward to the school day.

"Wazzap?" He slurred, yawning widely and trying to rub sleep from his eyes. His mom gave a small snort of laughter. After that, he heard a slight clacking noise from the other side of his room while his mom's laughter seemed to increase. 

"Looks like your new friend got a bit bored waiting for you to wake up." She told him, making him frown in confusion as he tried to process that. New friend...?

His eyes widened as he snapped his head to the side, watching in disbelief as Meltan rode around the large table, its little silver arms up in excitement as a model train pulled it in circles.

"As cute as it is, I don't appreciate it eating half the silverware." Anna deadpanned, causing her son to freeze. He glanced at the small mythical Pokemon, who was waving its little silver arms in joy on the ride.

"Heh, my bad..."

* * *

Later on, only Izuku really noticed the new Pokemon that had taken Pikachu's spot on his friend's shoulder. As much as he wanted to question Casey about it (and how he managed to finally summon a mythical character), they were unfortunately unable to talk much.

"Oi, **Deku**." Bakugo snarled softly, pinning the greenette to a courtyard wall before they had a chance to get to the cafeteria. "I thought I told you to _stay out of U.A._ "

"Kacchan, I- I..." Izuku stuttered bringing a hand up as if to wave off the other teen's anger, but paused halfway. Slowly, he drew his eyebrows together into a frown.

"I... I'm not gonna be your punching bag anymore, Kacchan..." He muttered slowly, a small glare overcoming his normally placid look. Bakugo almost looked surprised, his eyes only widening a slight amount.

"I worked hard to make it into U.A. and I'm not gonna let you stop me. It's been my dream to be a hero and I'm going to _do it_."

Much to Izuku's surprise, instead of lashing out with an explosion, Katsuki only glared a moment more before letting him go. The blonde walked off with his hands stuffed in his pockets, passing by Casey on the way down the corridor.

"Tch, keep Deku in line." He bit out, not making eye contact with the taller teen. Casey was about to make a sarcastic comment before he realized something important.

"Aww, it's almost like you care about him." Casey teased, taking half a step back when Bakugo whirled on him, a fierce snarl on his lips.

"I don't give a damn about that quirkless loser! I just don't need to see him on the news for getting himself killed!" He snapped, almost breathing flames with his anger. Casey's eyes were wide in shock. He only meant to tease his classmate a little bit, but Bakugo's reaction...

"Okay, okay... I'll keep an eye on him." He simply replied, watching as the blonde huffed, skulking down the hall once more. He couldn't help a small grin, however.

"Guess Izuku wasn't too far off about Bakugo caring, huh Meltan?" He questioned, the liquid metal Pokemon simply tilting its head.

* * *

After school, Izuku went over to Casey's house, greeting the various Pokemon that were kept summoned 24/7, like Litten and Pikachu. As he stepped into his friend's room, he couldn't help but snort at the conversation he interrupted.

"Look, I _know_ the silverware probably tasted good, but you can't eat that. I know where we can get you plenty of metal, if you can control yourself till tomorrow, okay?" The bespectacled teen offered, turning a dial on the controller in his hands. Meltan let out an excited squeal as the train car it was riding in sped up, barely acknowledging its trainer.

"When you said you worked on your hobby, I honestly thought you meant your games." Izuku admitted, looking over the small mountain that had been built onto his friend's train layout. Casey grinned, watching as Meltan and the train passed through a tunnel.

"Well to be fair, a lot of the smaller Pokemon like riding them, so I figured it would be worth it for them."

"And Meltan?" Izuku prompted, making Casey frown slightly.

"Yeah, I don't know how I managed that, considering every other Pokemon approaching legendary status wouldn't work, but somehow Meltan just seemed to... I dunno, work?" He attempted to explain, watching said Pokemon enjoy itself.

"Maybe you're just getting a better grip on how your Quirk works? Why not try summoning something else that hasn't worked?" His friend questioned. Casey gave a small nod, turning the train off much to Meltan's disappointment. 

"Let me try... hmm..." He muttered, thinking over his 'list'. He turned his mind's eye inward, deciding on something from another game that he desperately wanted. His eyes glowed as data scrolled across them before stopping suddenly.

"Izuku... I think _it_ will work..." He gasped, holding a hand out. Slowly, a white light seemed to grow from his palm, starting to extend out towards his friend. Before it could go more than a few inches, it felt like a nail was driven into his brain, causing him to lose concentration with a cry of pain.

"Casey!" Izuku shouted, diving for his friend's crumbling form. The last thing Casey thought he heard before passing out seemed to echo in his own head.

 _"What was that? Was someone trying to summon my-"_ Another voice whispered, sounding vaguely familiar, though Casey couldn't place it before he passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know I said Casey won't have many consistent Pokemon, but Meltan and Pikachu are definitely gonna show up a LOT, Lucario too probably.


	9. U.A. Start! Meeting the Class and Quirk Assessment Tests!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and Casey begin their first year of high school! Should be smooth sailing now... right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as a side note, Casey doesn't know that One For All causes Izuku's bones to break, since he was on another testing arena.

"Owww..." Casey groaned, his head pounding like a drum. As he awoke, he noticed that he was on his bed, with Pikachu and Meltan curled into each of his sides.

"Casey, are you alright?!" Izuku questioned, bolting up from the chair he had been sitting in, his Quirk notebook falling to the floor. He rushed to his friend's side, muttering questions and observations, not letting Casey respond much to his amusement.

"Izuku, breathe, I'm... maybe not _alright_ , but I only really feel like I have a migraine." He replied, gently patting his Pokemon partners and getting happy sounds from each of them.

"But what were you thinking? You know trying to summon that hasn't worked before, so why jump straight to that?" Izuku pressed, voice lower as to not aggravate his friend's head.

"Tell me you wouldn't have to look twice if you had to fight someone swinging a giant key? Plus, ya know, magic sword?" Casey offered, wiggling his fingers at the greenette with a small grin. He became contemplative a moment later, remembering the words that seemed to be whispered into his brain before he passed out.

"But who was talking to me?" He whispered, ignoring Izuku's confusion.

* * *

"Izuku, Honey, you look so good!" Inko Midoriya exclaimed, hugging her son once he had appeared for breakfast in his U.A. uniform. The teen blushed and smiled happily, bubbling in excitement for his first day of high school. 

"Thanks Mom! I'm going to go meet up with Casey, okay?" He told her, snagging a piece of toast as he headed towards the door. As he began to open it, he was stopped by his mother's voice once more.

"I'm so proud of you, Izuku. You've worked so hard to get into this school, and I know you'll be great." She admitted softly, making Izuku's eyes fill with tears. He gave his mom one last blinding smile before he headed out.

* * *

"Izuku! Hey!" Casey called excitedly, waving his arm as he ran towards the greenette from the front gate of U.A. He had Pikachu riding on his shoulder, while five other Pokeballs were clipped onto his belt.

"How're you feeling?" He questioned, making his taller friend give a put upon sigh.

"I'm _fine,_ Mom, don't worry." Casey teased, turning to walk alongside Izuku. The duo slowly made their way towards the school.

"I know, I know, I just worry." Izuku muttered, leading them towards a _gigantic_ set of doors with the label for class 1.A. painted on them. Casey let out a low, impressed whistle.

"I bet even a Dynamax Pokemon could walk through those doors." He noted, making Izuku give him a small glare.

"Do. Not." He deadpanned, elbowing his friend in the ribs. Casey only gave him an unrepentant grin.

"Oh come on, it would make a lasting impression!" He argued playfully, though he simply slid the door open to let them inside. Just after he passed through, he froze, his joy seeming to evaporate at the sight of Bakugo Katsuki lounging with his feet up on the desk, being yelled at by the student who had singled out Izuku in the exam.

"Remove your feet from the desk! It is disrespectful to the image of the school and the one who crafted the desk!" The standing teen scolded, making Katsuki let out a bark of mocking laughter. 

"Hah! Like I care! And what middle school are you from, **Extra**?" The blonde questioned. Thankfully neither of them had noticed Izuku and Casey standing in the doorway.

"I-I am from Somei private academy. My name is Tenya Ida." At that, Katsuki let out another laugh.

"Somei?! So you're an elitist then. I should blow you to bits." Ida took half a step back, a look of shock taking over his face.

"What an awful attitude for someone who wants to become a hero!" He gaped. Izuku let out a small squeak as Ida's attention drifted to them, making the raven haired teen to make his way over.

"I am from Somei private academy-" He began, holding out a hand.

"We heard." Casey interrupted shortly, a small glare on his face. Though he couldn't keep it when Izuku elbowed him in the ribs again, a bit harder than last time.

"Sorry about him. I'm Midoriya Izuku, and he's Moore Casey. It's nice to meet you, Ida." The greenette introduced, Casey coughing slightly while Pikachu whacked him with his tail.

"Midoriya... you perceived the true nature of the exam, while I did not. Truely I have misjudged you; you are the superior candidate! I must apologizefor my behavior. " He stated, bowing slightly at the waist.

The rest of the class watched, ranging from confusion to amusement. Before anyone could comment, the door slid open behind the trio, causing Izuku to jump.

"Curly haired boy! You made it in just like Present Mic said you would!" The girl from the exam day observed happily, greeting Izuku with a smile. The greenette blushed and stammered his way through a greeting while Casey moved off to the side, glancing around the room. A few of the students were still staring at them, though a couple seemed to be looking at Pikachu.

"If you're here to socialize, get out." A new voice interrupted, causing the students to all look towards the door. A yellow sleeping bag was lying across the entranceway, with only a man's face and black hair showing. He was simply staring at the trio standing in the doorway, looking bored.

"This is..." He began, sticking a hand out from inside the bag. He was clutching a small pouch with a straw in it, taking a long sip before continuing. "The hero course."

He quickly shed the bag, revealing an all black outfit with a belt at his midsection. He was also wearing a white scarf-like object around his throat.

"It took you all eight seconds to quiet down. Time is a precious resource, so you need to use it wisely." He scolded, though his look of boredom didn't change.

"I'm your homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa. It's nice to meet you." He introduced, reaching back into his sleeping bag. He pulled out a tee shirt and set of shorts, showing them to the students.

"Everyone put on your gym clothes and follow me to the grounds." The teacher instructed. The students all glanced at one another in slight bewilderment before they went to receive their uniforms.

* * *

"A quirk test?" Casey muttered, trailing behind Izuku as the class trooped out onto the field. He had Pikachu still riding on his shoulder so the Pokemon wouldn't be left behind, though he was still receiving some confused looks.

"What about the entrance ceremony or guidance sessions?" The brown haired girl questioned, making Aizawa sigh slightly.

"No time to waste on that if you want to become heroes. U.A. has a 'freestyle' teaching method, which applies to the teachers as well." He explained, confusing the class even more. "You all remember the standard gyms tests, correct? Where you couldn't use your Quirks."

"Bakugo." He singled out, making the boy glare slightly. "How far could you throw in middle school?"

"Sixty seven meters."

"Great. Now, try it with your Quirk. You can do whatever you want, just stay inside the circle." The teacher instructed, tossing the blonde a baseball. Bakugo nodded slightly, moving to stand in the exact center of the circle on the ground. "Give it all you've got."

"All I've got, huh?" He muttered, stretching his arms. He wound his arm back, a feral grin taking over his face.

 ** _"DIE!"_** He roared, a huge exploding propelling the ball into the sky like a rocket. The heat blew back some of the closer students that were watching with concern.

"Die...?" A redhead whispered, his own grin slightly strained. Aizawa pulled a square device from his pocket, glancing at it before turning it to show the students. It read seven hundred and five point two meters.

"We have to know our limits. That's the first rational step to knowing what kind of heroes you'll become."

"Whoa, this is awesome!" Someone exclaimed, the students all whispering among themselves at the thought of using their Quirks for the tests.

"Awesome, you say?" Aizawa's voice was soft, yet it froze all the teens in their tracks. The teacher was staring at them, an intense look I'm his eyes as he tracked them over the group.

"You're trying to become heroes in three years and you think it'll be all fun and games?" He scoffed, his eyes becoming even more intense.

"Right. The student who scores lowest across all the events will be judged _hopeless_ and be **expelled**."

"WHAAAAAT?!" They all exclaimed in shock, Izuku paling.

"Your fate is in our hands. Welcome to the U.A. hero course." Aizawa intoned, brushing his hair back with a manic grin. The teens all psyched themselves up, Casey giving Pikachu a grin, the mouse Pokemon's cheeks sparking. Neither noticed Izuku's rising panic.

"The first event is the fifty meter dash." Aizawa told them. Ida lined up alongside a girl who squatted like a frog, her long tongue hanging from her mouth.

"Whoa..." Casey gaped, Pikachu's eyes wide as well when Ida's legs roared to life, a pair of engines shooting the teen forward. The girl hopped quickly, trailing behind only by a few seconds.

"Moore, you and Denki are up." Aizawa announced after taking down the results. A yellow haired teen glanced over at him, a smirk on his face as he took in the taller teen. Casey grinned slightly, passing Pikachu over to Izuku. The greenette gave him a shaky smile of encouragement.

"I know just what to do for this one." Casey whispered, tapping into the downloaded data in his head.

In a flash of light, his hair seemed to become more like quills, blue streaks covering most of it. His shoes transformed into a pair of bright red running sneakers, with white strips across the tops held in place by golden square buckles. A pair of white gloves ended up on his hands, while a clear visor settled over his eyes.

"Ready?" Aizawa questioned, ignoring Denki's bewildered look while Casey nodded, crouching down into a runner's stance.

"Go."

Practically right after the word left his mouth, a blur crossed the finish line, making the machine in his hand beep. Aizawa looked down, his eyes widening only slightly while the rest of the class gaped in shock.

"... zero point one second." The teacher said simply, his own shock hidden. Casey let out a whoop, doing another blurred lap around the students before stopping beside Izuku.

"Sonic? Really? Isn't that a little overkill?" Izuku questioned in a deadpan voice, handing over the Pokemon as Casey faded back to normal.

"Hey, why not show off a little?" He replied, too high on adrenaline to notice Izuku's paleness and strained smile.

"Denki, just go again." Aizawa instructed, making the duo turn back to the other teen, who was frozen in wide-eyed surprise. He shook himself out of it, quickly running the test.

* * *

The tests continued quickly, with Casey swapping between various Pokemon fusions, mostly just Lucario though. He was becoming more and more concerned as Izuku seemed to struggle, never doing better than just above average.

"Now, Midoryia, you're up for the ball throw."

Casey watched with a frown, Lucario standing beside him as the greenette wound his arm back. Izuku hadn't used One For All once during all the tests, and he wasn't sure why.

"Fourty six meters." Aizawa said blandly, making Casey's eyes widen. With Lucario he had thrown the ball five hundred and fourty three meters by using Force Palm to launch the ball.

 _"All Might could probably throw the ball hundreds of thousands of meters, so why...?"_ He thought, watching as Aizawa had a whispered conversation with Izuku. The teen's eyes were wide before they narrowed in determination.

"Come on Izuku, you've got this!" He cheered, Lucario giving his own howl of encouragement. Pikachu yelled his own support, the trio watching with baited breath as Izuku wound back, as energy seemed to surge down his arm. Just as the throw reached it's arc, a resounding blast of air exploded from Izuku's hand, launching the ball like a bullet.

" **SMASHHHH!!** **"** Izuku roared, watching as the ball shot through the sky. His pointer finger was a deep purple color while blood dripped from the tip.

"Seven hundred and five point three meters." Aizawa announced, while once again the students all gaped at him, though Casey and his Pokemon rushed up to Izuku to congratulate him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to keep going, but it's annoying to type this all up on mobile. The next chapter should actually be sooner (either tonight or tomorrow) so I hope you all enjoyed and keep reading! Thank you everyone for all the comments!


	10. Revelations and Hero Costumes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a few classes, Casey and Izuku come to a realization about Casey's Quirk before they get their Hero Costumes!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY this took so long! Typing on a phone was killing my drive to write, but thankfully I got a borrowed laptop to crunch this chapter out. There's going to be a time-skip after next chapter, unfortunately, to try and get to the meatier parts of the fic, so please bare with me.

Casey slid to a stop, Pikachu and Meltan nearly flying off his shoulders as the teen spotted the blood, bruising and swelling on Izuku's finger. He couldn't even focus on what Mr. Aizawa was saying, though he caught the term 'logic ruse' tossed in there.

"Izuku, what the fu-" His comment was cut off by the sound of an explosion, followed by Katsuki _flying_ across the field with murder in his eyes.

"Deku you useless piece of-" He roared, making Izuku flinch back. Before the explosive blonde could get too close, Aizawa's scarf seemed to come to life, striking like a cobra as it rapidly wrapped around Katsuki to restrain him and cover his mouth. The teacher himself was glaring, his black hair floating up behind him as he approached the teens.

"I will not tolerate this kind of behavior in my class, especially from someone who wants to be a hero. Am I clear?" The man demanded. Katsuki glared daggers at Izuku for a moment more before giving a jerky nod, allowing the teacher to release him.

"Moore, take Midoriya to see Recovery Girl." Aizawa instructed, not taking his eyes off Katsuki, though his Quirk was no longer in effect. Casey nodded before recalling Lucario and Meltan to their Pokeballs.

* * *

Once the excitement had worn off, the next few hours almost seemed... _boring_ in comparison: most of the classes were the same, other than being taught by Pro Heroes. Izuku kept having moments where his inner fanboy would show, much to Casey's amusement. As the duo sat waiting for their next period, Foundational Hero Studies, to begin, they were discussing the what Casey had learned of Izuku's Quirk.

"I'm still a little peeved that you didn't tell me One For All _broke your bones._ " Casey hissed in a whisper, a slight glare making Izuku gulp. On his shoulder, Pikachu also gave the other boy a look. The greenette could only shrug, meeting his friend's eyes and giving a sheepish grin.

"I know, but All Might told me what could happen, so i'm not super surprised." He admitted, making Casey sigh in resignation. Before they could continue further, another boy with chin length black hair sat in front of Izuku, turning to give them a wide smile.

"Man, your guy's Quirks are pretty cool! My name is Sero Hanta, since we didn't introduce ourselves before." He said, sticking his hand out. Casey's glare faded, giving his own small smile back while Izuku reached forward.

"I'm Midoriya Izuku, and this is Moore Casey. It's nice to meet you." Izuku introduced, a small laugh escaping him when Pikachu gave a wave. "And of course, Casey's Pikachu."

"That's really cool! Can your Quirk make every Pokemon?" Sero questioned. Casey grimaced slightly, shaking his head.

"So far? Seems like I can only make basic Pokemon, other than Psychic types or Legendary Pokemon, and even then, some Pokemon are easier." The brunette explained, scratching his partner behind the ears. "Pikachu was the first, but others came along not long after." From Izuku's other side, Katsuki grumbled something about Pokemon abilities stopping his Quirk, glaring at the duo.

"Can you make a Charizard? That would be so _coooooool_!" Sero asked, stars in his eyes. Casey couldn't help but chuckle when he noticed the attention of a few other students.

"Actually, Charizard is one of my main Pokemon." He admitted, tapping lightly on one of the balls attached to his belt. "He's one of the Pokemon I used in most of the games I ran through..." He mused, a thought occurring to him. "Hey, Izuku... can you write something down for me?"

"Uh, sure, what's up?" The teen agreed, pulling out a notebook and a pen. Casey's eyes became slightly unfocused, his attention turning inwards to the save data in his head.

"The Pokemon I used on my teams were..."

**Pokemon Yellow Version**

**Pikachu**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Thunderbolt**  
**\- Surf**  
**\- Mega Kick**  
**\- Rest**

**Squirtle**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Ice Beam**  
**\- Hydro Pump**  
**\- Body Slam**  
**\- Counter**

**Charizard**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Flamethrower**  
**\- Hyper Beam**  
**\- Fly**  
**\- Earthquake**

**Venusaur**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Razor Leaf**  
**\- Sleep Powder**  
**\- Leech Seed**  
**\- Solar Beam**

**Gengar**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Hypnosis**  
**\- Dream Eater**  
**\- Confuse Ray**  
**\- Psychic**

**Lapras**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Blizzard**  
**\- Ice Beam**  
**\- Surf**  
**\- Sing**

** Pokemon Blue Version **

**Pikachu**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Thunderbolt**  
**\- Surf**  
**\- Mega Kick**  
**\- Rest**

**Squirtle**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Ice Beam**  
**\- Hydro Pump**  
**\- Body Slam**  
**\- Surf**

**Nidoking (M)**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Fire Blast**  
**\- Earthquake**  
**\- Hyper Beam**  
**\- Rock Slide**

**Magneton**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Double-Edge**  
**\- Thunder**  
**\- Thunder Wave**  
**\- Reflect**

**Marowak**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Bonemerang**  
**\- Seismic Toss**  
**\- Dig**  
**\- Skull Bash**

**Aerodactyl**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Hyper Beam**  
**\- Fly**  
**\- Sky Attack**  
**\- Wing Attack**

**Pokemon Red Version**

**Charizard**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Flamethrower**  
**\- Hyper Beam**  
**\- Fly**  
**\- Earthquake**

**Pikachu**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Thunderbolt**  
**\- Surf**  
**\- Mega Kick**  
**\- Rest**

**Omastar**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Hydro Pump**  
**\- Spike Cannon**  
**\- Double-Edge**  
**\- Blizzard**

**Vileplume**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Mega Drain**  
**\- Sleep Powder**  
**\- Stun Spore**  
**\- Substitute**

**Rapidash**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Fire Blast**  
**\- Stomp**  
**\- Swift**  
**\- Horn Drill**

**Hitmonchan (M)**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Fire Punch**  
**\- Ice Punch**  
**\- Thunder Punch**  
**\- Mega Punch**

** Pokemon Gold/Silver Version **

**Tyranitar**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Earthquake**  
**\- Thrash**  
**\- Curse**  
**\- Crunch**

**Typhlosion**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Thunder Punch**  
**\- Flamethrower**  
**\- Toxic**  
**\- Rollout**

**Quagsire**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Ice Punch**  
**\- Rest**  
**\- Sleep Talk**  
**\- Surf**

**Umbreon**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Moonlight**  
**\- Protect**  
**\- Toxic**  
**\- Shadow Ball**

**Charizard**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Flamethrower**  
**\- Hyper Beam**  
**\- Fly**  
**\- Earthquake**

**Pikachu**  
**Ability: None**  
**\- Thunderbolt**  
**\- Surf**  
**\- Mega Kick**  
**\- Rest**

**Pokemon Emerald**

**Pikachu**  
**Ability: Static**  
**\- Volt Tackle**  
**\- Surf**  
**\- Iron Tail**  
**\- Protect**

**Swampert**  
**Ability: Torrent**  
**\- Earthquake**  
**\- Return**  
**\- Dive**  
**\- Mega Punch**

**Breloom**  
**Ability: Effect Spore**  
**\- Brick Break**  
**\- Sludge Bomb**  
**\- Swords Dance**  
**\- Sky Uppercut**

**Castform**  
**Ability: Forecast**  
**\- Weather Ball**  
**\- Sunny Day**  
**\- Rain Dance**  
**\- Hail**

**Cradily**  
**Ability: Suction Cups**  
**\- Ancient Power**  
**\- Giga Drain**  
**\- Recover**  
**\- Barrier**

**Wailord**  
**Ability: Water Veil**  
**\- Surf**  
**\- Roar**  
**\- Water Spout**  
**\- Protect**

**Pokemon Platinum**

**Pikachu**  
**Ability: Static**  
**\- Volt Tackle**  
**\- Charge Beam**  
**\- Iron Tail**  
**\- Thunder Punch**

**Torterra**  
**Ability: Overgrow**  
**\- Earth Power**  
**\- Energy Ball**  
**\- Leech Seed**  
**\- Rest**

**Rotom**  
**Ability: Levitate**  
**\- Dark Pulse**  
**\- Pain Split**  
**\- Sucker Punch**  
**\- Will-O-Wisp**

**Lucario**  
**Ability: Steadfast**  
**\- Aura Sphere**  
**\- Drain Punch**  
**\- Swords Dance**  
**\- Force Palm**

**Yanmega**  
**Ability: Speed Boost**  
**\- Bug Buzz**  
**\- Shadow Ball**  
**\- Signal Beam**  
**\- Endure**

**Porygon-Z**  
**Ability: Adaptability**  
**Shiny: Yes**  
**\- Tri Attack**  
**\- Lock-On**  
**\- Zap Cannon**  
**\- Recover**

On and on the list went, Casey gradually getting faster before reaching Pokemon Sword and Shield.

** Pokemon Sword and Shield **

**Pikachu**  
**Ability: Static**  
**\- Volt Tackle**  
**\- Nuzzle**  
**\- Play Rough**  
**\- Iron Tail**

**Lucario**  
**Ability: Steadfast**  
**\- Aura Sphere**  
**\- Calm Mind**  
**\- Dragon Pulse**  
**\- Shadow Ball**

**Charizard-Gmax**  
**Ability: Blaze**  
**\- Flamethrower**  
**\- Dragon Pulse**  
**\- Protect**  
**\- Scorching Sands**

**Melmetal**  
**Ability: Iron Fist**  
**\- Double Iron Bash**  
**\- Thunder Punch**  
**\- Ice Punch**  
**\- Gyro Ball**

**Litten**  
**Ability: Blaze**  
**\- Crunch**  
**\- Fire Fang**  
**\- Roar**  
**\- U-turn**

**Inteleon**  
**Ability: Sniper**  
**\- Snipe Shot**  
**\- Scald**  
**\- Agility**  
**\- Aqua Jet**

Once the list was fully written out, Casey simply stared ahead for a moment, placed Pikachu lightly on Izuku's desk, before slamming his forehead onto his own desk and making most of the nearby students jump in surprise.

"I am a god damn idiot." He muttered loudly, though it came out slightly muffled. Izuku looked on in concern, re-reading the list before his eyes widened.

"Pikachu was with you in every game you played, Lucario was too after his generation came out. So does that mean that because you used them most in the games, they're the ones you can summon?" He theorized excitedly, pulling out another notebook and marking it down with the other information on Casey's Quirk.

"Um..." Sero coughed, bewildered at the two teens. Before anyone could add anything, the door slammed open.

**"I am here..."** The voice of All Might began, the man himself calmly walking into the room. **"Entering the room like a normal person!"**

He quickly took in the scene of most of the students staring at his (unknown) apprentices, one who was muttering into his notebook while the other was being consoled by his Quirk's Pikachu. He could only blink in confusion.

_"When I agreed to teach, I can honestly say I never expected situations like this."_ The No.1 Hero thought, a large sweat drop running down the back of his head.

**"Today, we shall be doing Battle Trials! Meet me at Ground Beta!"** He instructed before motioning to the back of the room. **"However, do not forget, a Hero must look the part as well! Your Hero Costumes that you had designed are ready!"**

The class eagerly leapt to their feet, turning to grab the boxes containing their hero costumes before heading towards Ground Beta's locker rooms. Casey and Izuku trailed behind, both eager and slightly nervous as they changed.

Casey placed a visor over his eyes, the forest green material lighting up while the glass blinked to life. A heads up display of his own face appeared on the bottom right, while a light green bar labeled HP sat waiting. He carefully pulled on a pair of thick gloves and a futuristic looking, skin-tight suit, the glove on his left hand sliding a cartridge into the slot there. In response, the HP bar on his HUD went from empty to full as the suit started receiving information. He quickly pulled on a pair of blue pants and a plain black shirt, with a silver belt around his waist that had six clips on it. As he attached the six Pokeballs from his original belt, information would scroll across the screen before condensing on the bottom left, where there were the options for 'Game', 'Pokemon', 'Status', and 'Call for help'.

"Status." He said aloud, causing the screen to display the health of the six Pokemon he currently had with him. Satisfied, he gestured with his left hand and caused the status screen to close.

"The Support Department did an amazing job." Izuku commented, making Casey look over and laugh: Izuku looked like a green rabbit, the wide grin on the mask's face didn't help.

"Izuku, as your friend, I have to tell you that you look like a bunny." Casey smiled, making the greenette look down in embarrassment. Before he could get to down, his friend's hand landed on his shoulder, making him glance up to see both Pikachu and Casey grinning at him. "But from a hero point of view, you look ready to tell the world that _you are here!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wish my drawing skills would translate to digital, because I would love to show you guys what Casey's Hero Costume looks like, but the visor looks like Gordie's from Pokemon Sword, just a little bigger.


	11. Those Who Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The students of Class 1-A are paired together to learn more about indoor battles. With Izuku facing down his childhood 'friend', will he be able to stand tall? Or will he be blasted to bits?  
> Meanwhile, Casey is teamed up with Momo Yaoyorozu as Villains, facing off against against Denki Kaminari and Kyoka Jiro; will they be able to hold off the enemy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Battle time! I'm going to keep it in Casey's POV for this chapter, simply because I don't want to go over events that won't change much: Izuku's face-off with Katsuki is almost exactly the same, so I want to show how the other students react to how savagely Katsuki is when faced with Izuku.

**"Now students!"** All Might began, holding back a small laugh at Izuku's tribute to himself in his Hero Costume design. **"In today's battles, we'll be simulating** _indoor_ **confrontations with Villians! This is because statistically speaking, most Villain attacks take place inside buildings! For this purpose, you will be paired with another student, with the groups split into two teams: One of Heroes, the other Villains! The Villains must defend a bomb placed inside the building, while the Heroes must either capture the Villains, or get to the bomb!"** He finished, pulling a box out and allowing the teens to draw lots, each having a letter on them.

"I'm on team A." Izuku told Casey, blushing as he realized he was on a team with Uraraka. Casey hummed, looking at his own lot and snorting slightly at the irony of being on Team C. Glancing around, he met the eyes of Yaoyorozu Momo, who nodded at him with her own lot, showing a C as well.

 **"Team A will be the Heroes, against Team D!"** All Might announced, causing the team names to show up on the board nearby. Izuku _flinched_ as he read the name of his opponents. **"Villians, you may go find the objective, while the Heroes have 5 minutes to make a plan."**

"All-Might sensei, I don't think that match-up is a good idea." Casey said, making most of the other teens glance at him in confusion. Before anyone could comment, Katsuki snapped an explosion in his palm.

"Stay out of this, nerd! I'm gonna kick his ass!" The blonde declared, stalking off towards the building, Ida shaking his head as he followed. All Might frowned at the attitude, gesturing for the rest of the class to follow him to another nearby building. Inside, it was revealed to be filled with many screens focused on the halls and rooms of the office building. They watched as Ida tried to make conversation with Katsuki, yet was rebuffed once again.

"No audio?" A redhead questioned, receiving only a head shake from their teacher, who put his finger up to an earpiece. Sighing, the student's all took seats on the bleachers as Izuku and Uraraka entered on the ground floor.

"So, my name's Moore Casey, but you can just call me Casey if you want." The game-based student introduced, holding out a hand. Yaozorozu gave a polite smile, shaking his hand.

"Yaozorozu Momo, and you may do the same as well." She offered, smiling a little wider when Pikachu gave a greeting chirp. She tentatively held her hand out further, allowing Pikachu to nuzzle his head against it. On her other side, the teen with half red and half white hair tilted his head slightly, almost curious before his expression closed off again.

"So, can I ask what your Quirk is?" Casey asked.

"My Quirk is called 'Creation': I can create any object from my fat stores as long as I know it's chemical make-up." She explained, holding her arm out. With a small flash, a flashlight was clutched in her other hand. Casey's eyes widened in surprise, a grin slowly stretching across his face as an idea came to him. Suddenly, the entire building shook, while the screens whited out.

 **"Bakugo! If you use another explosion of that level, you will lose and be punished!"** The teacher bellowed into his earpiece. Casey paled dramatically, watching the screens intently, only breathing a sigh of relief when he saw an upright Izuku. The greenette was thoroughly scorched, with half his mask destroyed and burns on his bodysuit.

"Dude, that was super un-manly!" The redhead muttered, watching as Izuku and Katsuki traded blows. They couldn't hear what the duo was saying, but based on the look on the blonde's face, he was quickly becoming more and more angry.

"What's their deal?" Denki questioned Casey, turning to face the other teen. Casey sighed, running a hand through his hair while Pikachu scowled, his cheeks sparking.

"Katsuki and Izuku and I grew up in the same neighborhood, and Katsuki always liked to be the toughest kid around... He thought Izuku was looking down on him, though I never got the full story as to why." He told Denki, frustration coloring his words. Their attention was drawn back to the battle as Izuku _shifted_ one of Katsuki's explosions upward, allowing Uraraka to jump over Ida and get to the bomb while he was distracted.

 **"The Hero team has won!"** All Might announced just before Izuku collapsed, his arm swollen. Casey was up and out the door, rushing to the destroyed office building just as Ida emerged, Izuku limp in his arms. In his armor, the teen looked almost like a knight carrying a damsel.

"I am most sorry! While I know I was supposed to be a Villain, yet I do not believe it should have gone this far!" The taller teen apologized, bowing slightly to Casey. He only nodded slightly, taking his best friend from Ida. He turned to where All Might and the rest of the class had emerged, meeting his teacher's eyes.

"I'm gonna take him to Recovery Girl." Casey informed All Might, getting a nod of agreement. In his head, he was planning how to take on Katsuki at some point.

* * *

"Where...?" Izuku groaned, his head swimming as he came back into consciousness. He could tell that he was laying down on a soft bed, the ceiling above him a stark white. He heard a 'tisk' off to the side and when he turned his head, he met the slightly angry bluegreen eyes of his friend.

"The Nurse's office. Again." Casey bit off, scowling at the wall. "Bakugo put you here because he's a- Oww!" He was cut off by a rap to his knee, the teen jumping slightly as Recovery Girl passed by, her cane back on the tile.

"Twice in one day! The nerve of that man!" She muttered, checking over Izuku before turning her glare on Casey as well. "And none of that language in my ward."

"Sorry Ma'am. I'm just frustrated myself." Casey apologized, Pikachu snickering at him as the nurse patted his head and handed him a small bag.

"While I understand, I must ask you to calm down. Your friend will be fine for now, so you should return to class. I will send him back soon, or ask for someone to get you to escort him back." Recovery Girl explained, gently ushering Casey out the door. The teen nodded before giving Izuku one last look and heading back to class.

* * *

**"Just in time! Young Moore, you and Young Yaozorozu are the Villains for this round! You may go prepare the bomb."** All Might greeted, watching as Casey nodded. He and Momo walked calmly into the office, a different one from the original that had been nearly destroyed.

"Do you happen to know how to make smoke bombs?" Casey asked, earning a nod from Momo. He gave a small, almost savage grin as he tapped one of the Pokeballs on his belt, causing it to flash and be replaced by a green one with black lines running across it. "I have an idea..."

* * *

Kaminari and Jiro slowly entered the building, immediately walking into a wall of fog. The two quickly moved closer together, Jiro leaning down to stab her earphone jacks into the ground to listen for any vibrations.

"I can hear two heartbeats on the 5th floor." She whispered, slowly edging towards the stairs with Kaminari following, who was nervously tapping his visor.

"Do you get the feeling we're being watched? And I don't mean the cameras." He questioned, glancing around through the fog. He thought he could vaguely make out a round shape floating through the fog, flashes of red eyes appearing and disappearing in seconds every time he would look away. Jiro nodded distractedly, mostly focusing on the sounds of the heartbeats. She was so completely focused on that, she didn't notice Kaminari stiffen in fear until she couldn't move forward, his frozen hand holding her in place.

"What hap-?" She began, turning and looking into a pair of blood red eyes before her world went dark.

* * *

"Good job, Gengar! They never saw you coming!" Casey complimented, his ghost Pokemon happily accepting the praise with a wide smile. "Of course, it wouldn't have been as effective without Momo's smoke bombs." Momo blushed at the praise, giving her partner a small smile of gratitude.

 **"Indeed! You both did very well to capture the Heroes! Now, who can add what each team could have done to improve?"** All Might questioned, nodding to Sero when his hand went up.

"The Heroes should have tried to find a way to clear the smoke." He commented, making Jiro and Kaminari both wince, since neither of their Quirks were well suited to the task.

 **"A valid point! However, that could also give away their position in a real scenario! Young Kyoka had a great idea of listening for their** **opponents, but became too focused and ignored her surroundings!"** All Might pointed out, giving the Hero team a wide smile. **"Young Moore, you and Yaozorozu did good by not falling into the Villain stereotype of beginning a monologue! I believe you, Moore, are the MVP for this match, though if I must be more specific, I would say it is Gengar!"**

The ghost Pokemon gave a loud bark of laughter, alongside his trainer's and Momo's pleased smile. While the final groups went to prepare for their own trial, All Might put his finger up to his earpiece.

 **"Young Moore, Recovery Girl has informed me that Midoryia is ready to return to class, if you would escort him."** All Might requested, making Casey give a wide smile. The teen allowed Pikachu to return to his shoulder and Gengar to follow him back to the school, ignoring the heat filled glare aimed at his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear Casey isn't going to be OP! He just happened to have a Pokemon that worked well for the situation.  
> Next chapter will be skipping to the USJ, and where Casey gets a real wake-up call about his Quirk.


	12. A Dream Drops and The USJ!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey thinks he's been playing Kingdom Hearts too much once he starts dreaming about it, but that's quickly forgotten once the class goes on a trip to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving into some big action now! Class 1-A is going on their field trip, but no one is prepared for how one of the villains reacts to Casey's Quirk.

Classes had been relatively normal after that point, with the school day ending and Casey and Izuku returning home. The duo had agreed to spend the night at Casey's house, if only so they could make sure Izuku was fully okay for the next day.

"Katsuki really needs to chill out." Casey grumbled as he got himself ready for bed, making Izuku wince slightly in silent agreement.

"I... I don't think he's going to change." Izuku muttered, already laying on his own futon. Casey snorted, laying down with Pikachu cuddled into his side.

* * *

As awareness came to him, Casey couldn't help but panic slightly as he felt himself floating. His vision slowly cleared, revealing a dark space that seemed to go on forever, with star-like lights high above and a thin layer of water acting as the ground.

"This place..." A voice muttered somewhere below him, causing him to look down. To his surprise, a brown haired teen was pushing himself up into a sitting position, looking over himself in wonderment. His red and black clothes quickly gave away who he was floating above.

 _"Sora...?"_ Casey questioned, getting no response. He frowned slightly, realizing he could see through his own body as if he were a projection. He watched as Sora hopped to his feet, glancing in all directions, his eyes passing over him like he wasn't even there.

"Heeey! Is anyone out there?" Sora called out. Casey managed to make himself float downwards, maneuvering so he was eye to eye with the other teen.

 _"I'm right here! Can't you see me?"_ Casey questioned, reaching out as if to tap Sora. His hand went right through the other, making him flinch backwards.

"Hellooo!" Sora called again, not knowing what happened while Casey floated back. The brunette held his hand up to cup his ear, as if expecting a response from the void the two found themselves in.

 _"What the hell is going on?"_ The other asked. _"I know Kingdom Hearts doesn't work with my Quirk, so it's not like the universe has to rub it in my face!"_ Before he could really start complaining, another voice seemed to call out from the distance.

 _"Hey."_ It echoed, sounding slightly muffled, causing Sora to gasp. 

"Hey." The second time sounded more clearly, making the two turn in it's direction.

"Who's that?" Sora asked aloud, head tilted in confusion.

"Where are you?" The new voice pressed.

"Over here!" Sora yelled, a small grin on his face before he took off running. Casey yelped as his body was seemingly forced to go along, as if an invisible tether was attached to the other teen.

 _"I don't like this ride!"_ He complained as the duo, one invisible, came upon another figure in the distance. _"Especially since no one can see me!"_

"I see you." The figure called, walking calmly towards the still running Sora. Casey's heart seemed to skip a beat, taking the other in.

 _"You can see me?! What the hell?"_ He questioned, though he quickly realized that Sora was the one the comment was aimed at when he didn't get a reply. Sora himself came to a quick stop a distance from the other, his eyes going wide in surprise.

"Hey, aren't you-" He began, but was cut off when the new figure rocked back slightly, his own eyes widening.

"You know me?" He pressed, his eyes narrowing slightly, one red and one blue.

"Yeah, you're Yozora, right?" Sora asked, while Casey nodded his head.

"How do you know that? Who are you?" Yozora demanded, though Sora seemed oblivious to his rising agitation.

"I'm Sora." He introduced, pointing a thumb at his chest. "And actually... there's something I have to ask you-"

"Sora?" Yozora interrupted, stepping forwards. "You're Sora?"

"Huh? You know who I am?" Was the reply he got, Sora's tone shifting to confusion when Yozora leaned back, his face becoming calm.

"Sure, I've heard of you." He admitted, relaxing slightly.

"If you're here, then this can't be the real world, can it?" Sora asked aloud.

 _"Well if you're both here, then this has to be a dream."_ Casey snarked to himself.

"But wait, that girl, she told me about you." Sora mused with his hand on his chin. "Maybe you are real after all." He finished, putting his hands behind his head with a small smile. Yozora simply stared at him, unimpressed.

"Are you done? No, this isn't the real world, and I am here." Casey couldn't help but giggle slightly at the unintentional use of All Might's catchphrase. "But this isn't what I really look like. How'd you recognize me as Yozora?"

"Huh?" Sora gasped, rocking backwards.

"Why are you using Sora's name?" Yozora accused, taking a small step forwards.

"Because... I am Sora." The brunette said slowly, placing his hand over his heart as if giving a vow.

"If you are who you say, and it was fate that brought us here, then... my path is clear." Yozora declared, raising his right hand slightly. In a flash of red light, a futuristic looking gun appeared.

"What?" Sora questioned, flinching back into a battle stance, though not summoning his signature weapon. Yozora calmly shifted the gun up over his shoulder before thrusting it towards the other, causing it to unfold into a crossbow instead. As Casey watched, a circular area surrounded the two, flashing brightly before revealing Sora's Station of Awakening.

 _"Wow, it look's amazing..."_ Casey admired, his eyes wide as he took in the stained glass. _"It's really detailed for a dream."_ He noted, seeing the different points where the glass came together. Before his eyes, the surroundings faded to black before a wave of blue light washed over them, revealing an entire city-scape, transforming the glass into the top of a round building, a large 104 in neon lights on the one side.

"Hey! Wait!" Sora demanded once his vision returned, since Yozora's aim hadn't shifted.

"I accidentally wandered into this place, and went through some trials. Then, I was told to 'Save Sora'." He explained, eyes focused on Sora, who flinched.

"Then what's with the weapon?!" Sora demanded, flinching back slightly when a red tinted sword unfolded in Yozora's other hand.

"Time to end this." Yozora declared, ignoring the question and shifting into a battle stance. Sora grit his teeth, falling back into his own stance and summoning his Keyblade, the Kingdom Key, in a flash of light while Casey watched from slightly above.

* * *

The fight was brutal to watch, Sora forced mostly on the back foot and defensive while Yozora would pound away at his guard. Casey could only watch in awe while one of his favorite game characters of all time used combinations of magic, might, and various abilities, trying to hold Yozora off.

 _"You can do it, Sora!"_ He cheered, even knowing that he couldn't be heard. Before his very eyes though, Sora seemed to sway, falling forwards.

"How could-" He gasped, falling onto one knee and bracing himself up. Casey watched in horror as Yozora approached, floating between the two as if he could interrupt.

"Sorry, but I don't lose." The other said simply. Both he and Casey watched as Sora's left hand became covered in what looked like crystals, racing up his body as Sora leaned his head back. With a final flash, Sora arched into the air in the center of a nest of crystals, his own body frozen in place like a statue.

 _"Sora!"_ Casey cried out, feeling helpless as Yozora lightly placed a hand on the crystallized knee.

"I will save you." Yozora declared. Casey turned towards him and snarled.

 _"You're the one who did this! If anyone should save him, it should be me! I'm the one who couldn't do anything to help him now!"_ Casey roared, his heart pounding. He didn't seem to notice the orb of light that was building up around Sora, right where his heart should be, though Yozora did.

"What the?" He gasped, watching as the orb flew forwards and disappeared, exactly where Casey's own heart resided. A flash of light blinded him, but not before he saw a glimpse of Casey's form, glowing in the air as the whole area went white. When everything became visible again, Yozora was standing upon the watery surface, the sky a bright blue with fluffy white clouds, but all alone.

* * *

Casey awoke with a start, gasping slightly as he sat up in bed. His heart was beating a mile a minute as he looked around, taking in his room, Izuku sleeping on the futon, Pikachu curled up on his own pillow. Nothing seemed out of place, yet something still felt off. Whatever dream he had seemed to slip between his fingers, the details gone but leaving him with a sense of anxiety.

"What was that about?" He muttered, quietly getting up to prepare for the day when he realized his alarm was about to go off.

"Come on, Izuku, we gotta get ready for school." He carefully shook his friend awake, going to get his uniform as his friend groggily wiped his eyes. As Casey dressed, he considered the Pokemon he wanted to take with him today, besides Pikachu. For some reason, it felt important that he was sure in his decision, a small chill running down his spine.

"Okay, so, Pikachu, Lucario, Charizard, Meltan, Squirtle, and... hmm..." He mused, summoning the four Pokeballs to his belt, before smiling slightly, summoning one last ball that he patted fondly.

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur, between the press harassing the students about All Might as a teacher-

("He's pretty cool, but we really need to get to class!" "BACK OFF BEFORE I BLOW YOU TO BITS!" "Charizard, can you fly us over?")

To electing a class president-

("Listen Izuku, you might be my best friend, but I can tell Ida would be better for the roll." "Thank you for your faith in me! I shall do my best as class president to-")

The press breaking in-

("I got the information we needed. Now we can destroy the Symbol of Peace.")

Leading up to the day of a class trip.

"Everyone line up single file! We must board the bus in a way befitting to our status as students of U.A." Ida instructed, making half the class groan while some of them shared small smiles.

"Ida, the bus is already being boarded." Izuku pointed out kindly, as Casey stepped on himself. Izuku could only console his somewhat friend as the two got on the bus, followed by their teacher.

"Everyone, be quiet. We'll get to the USJ in a few hours, so let me sleep." Aizawa instructed, laying down on one of the seats and falling right to sleep. Once they were all seated and on their way, the students began talking among themselves.

"Midoriya, can I ask you something about your Quirk, kero?" Tsuyu Asui asked, leaning forward from her seat behind Casey and Izuku.

"Um, s-sure, Asui!" Izuku stuttered back, blushing slightly at the fact that another girl was talking to him.

"Call me Tsuyu, kero. I like to be blunt." She began, her wide eyes unwavering though her smile was just as sincere. "Your Quirk is a lot like All Might's. Why is that, kero?"

Both Casey and Izuku paled slightly, while Pikachu facepalmed slightly on Casey's shoulder. He gave the duo a slight jolt, just enough to get the two talking before anyone could become suspicious.

"I, ah, it's a p-pretty common Quirk, strength enhancement, but i'm not nearly as strong or cool as All Might." Izuku explained, jumping slightly when their red haired classmate, Eijiro Kirishima leaned forward to join in as well.

"Yeah, but your Quirk is still so manly! And being a Hero isn't all about being strong! You gotta be popular too. It's gonna be rough for me: My Hardening Quirk isn't flashy enough to get me noticed." He added, making Izuku frown.

"Your Quirk is really amazing too! I'm sure people are going to love you when you debut!" Izuku insisted, knowing how he felt, as if he wouldn't be good enough to be a Hero.

"It's not just the Quirk that's important; You have to kinda be a people person too, to get picked up by a big Hero agency." Casey commented, scratching Pikachu between the ears. "And from what i've seen Kirishima, you'll be really popular."

"Thanks guys! I really appreciate that." The red head smiled, giving Casey a fist bump while Asui nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, kero. Bakugo has a strong Quirk but his attitude is garbage." She said simply. Back another row, Katsuki's temper exploded, though thankfully not his hands.

"What the hell did you say, you froggy asshole! I'll destroy you!" He snarled, though he stayed seated.

"See?" Asui commented, making Casey and Kirishima burst into laughter. Izuku could only take in the fact that there were people willing to point out Bakugo's flaws, when his whole life, most people wouldn't.

* * *

Once the bus had arrived at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, the students and teacher were greeted by a figure in a puffy white astronaut suit, making Uraraka squeal in excitement.

"Oh my god that's the Space Hero, Thirteen! They're one of the most famous rescue Heroes!" She exclaimed, sounding like a louder Izuku when he went into his own fanboy mode. While the Space Hero explained about using their powers, even the more dangerous ones, to rescue people, Casey's focus was dragged to the fountain behind them, where the water seemed to... _shift_ in the air, as if something was influencing it.

"What the..." He muttered, paling rapidly as a pitch black pool began to form at the base of the fountain. Izuku looked to where his friend was looking, his own eyes going wide as he tugged on Casey's arm.

"I know you want Kingdom Hearts to work, but you wouldn't summon an enemy, right?" He questioned rapidly, while the others slowly became aware of the growing black... thing across the yard.

"Izuku, even I wouldn't be desperate enough to try and bring Organization Thirteen here." Casey whispered, watching as shadowed figures began emerging from the portal, beings of all kinds and Quirks lining up on the field. A giant, muscular being with a beak like a bird and a large exposed brain was one of the last to exit, followed by what looked like another teenager, covered in-

"Are those hands?!" Urakara questioned from Izuku's other side, a green tinge coming over her face as she tried not to be sick. Casey's eyes were locked on one of the other figures, who seemed to be made of smoke with glowing yellow eyes. Deep in his heart, something seemed to stir, as if the sight had triggered it.

"Is this part of our training?" Kirishima asked, though Aizawa put his arms out in front of the group, keeping them back.

"No. These are villains." He declared, moving a pair of goggles over his eyes. The teen covered in hands idly began scratching at his neck, his red eyes peering out at the group from between the fingers of the hand that was covering his face.

"Where's All Might? He was supposed to be here." He commented, frustration coloring his tone. Next to him, the man made of smoke simply hummed.

"Peace, Tomura Shigaraki, we will figure this out." He said, calming the teen's itching slightly before stepping forward. "Greetings. We are the League of Villains. Forgive our audacity, but... today, we've come here to end the life... of All Might, the Symbol of Peace."

The students all flinched heavily, glancing between each other in slight fear at the seriousness of the being's statement.

"Thirteen, protect the students. I'll handle this." Aizawa declared, making Thirteen nod. Before anyone could stop him, the teacher launched himself into the fray, punches and kicks knocking villains back and into one another.

"We need to leave! Go!" Thirteen ordered, leading the students back towards the doors. Before they could make it, the black portal from before spawned up in front of them, allowing the being of smoke to appear.

"I think not. We can't have interference." He declared, opening portals under the feet of all the students. Casey grabbed onto Izuku as they, along with Asui, were dragged into one portal. Deep in Casey's chest, he felt a pulse of power flow through him, down to his hands. As the darkness swallowed them, all he saw was a glimpse of a metal shaft.

* * *

When his awareness returned, his eyes slammed shut from the sting of water getting in them, his body automatically starting to hold it's breath. When he opened his eyes a moment later, he saw a man that looked like he was part shark darting towards him. The teen panicked, swinging his arms to cross his chest in defense. What he didn't expect, however, was for a blade to slice through the water, knocking the shark man in the face. Before he could take a proper look, something wrapped around his midsection and dragged him upwards through the water, into the air, and crashing onto a wooden deck.

"Are you alright, kero?" A familiar voice asked, while something soaked yet furry nuzzled against his neck. His eyes opened to Asui standing above him, with Izuku coughing up water next to them. Pikachu gave a happy chirp as he shook out his fur, watching his trainer sit up carefully.

"I'm okay, I guess, for the situation." He admitted, his gaze going to his right hand that was clutched around a metal blade. "What the heck?!"

The Kingdom Key Keyblade sat innocently in his grip, shining on the wooden deck of the boat the group was on. He lifted it carefully and inspected it, the solid weight helping ground him.

"Of all the times to try to summon it, you picked now?" Izuku questioned, coughing slightly but not angry, more curious. Casey slowly shook his head, his own eyes wide as he looked at his friend.

"But I didn't..." He told the group, slowly standing. As strange as it seemed, the Keyblade felt as though it belonged in his hand, but at the same time foreign. Before he could contemplate that, the whole boat seemed to shake from the force of an impact. The teens all glanced over the side, watching as a group of villains all glared at them from the water.

"I don't think they know what our Quirks are." Izuku muttered, his hand going to his chin. "Why else would they send Tyusu to a water area, or even Casey, when Pikachu could use electricity."

"Midoriya, I think we should get out of here before you keep theorizing." Asui broke his train of thought, glancing at a villain who seemed to be getting restless.

"Casey, can you summon a Pokemon that could carry us out?" Izuku asked, making Casey nod and tap his HUD. However, his eyes widened in shock when the HUD lit up, with the 'Game' and 'Call for help' options both being blocked out. He tried to reach out with his mind for data from his Quirk, causing an error message to flash on his screen.

"Izuku, something is wrong with my Quirk... I can't summon anything!" He babbled, starting to panic. Thankfully, Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder, giving the teen a small comfort. "But then how are Pikachu and the Keyblade still here? And the other Pokemon on my belt?"

"We can figure it out later, but can any of the ones you have help us?" Izuku asked, making Casey shake his head.

"The only ones I can think of are Squirtle and Pikachu, but without being able to Dynamax I wouldn't be able to have a large enough attack to stun all the Villains." 

Pikachu seemed to take offense to that, leaping onto the deck railing and charging up.

"Pi, ka, CHU!" He yelled, launching a Thunder into the water below. Since the attack went straight into the water, the accuracy didn't matter, the electrical energy traveling into all of the villains and knocking them out. The three teens could only sweatdrop at Pikachu's look of smugness as he jumped back to Casey's shoulder.

"...well never mind then."

* * *

The trio quickly made their way back to the shore and towards the main area of the USJ.

"We need to help if we see an opening." Izuku declared, to the shock of the others.

"Izuku, these are real Villians, and my Quirk is already on the fritz. What good would we do? If anything we would just get in the way." Casey protested, the Keyblade in his hand feeling heavier at the thought. They managed to get back to the main area and hid behind one of the bushes just in time to see their teacher on the ground, the bird-faced hulking Villain standing above him while Tomura was scratching at his neck again.

"Eraserhead, you were always so cool." The teen declared, reaching down and touching the teacher's goggles, causing them to turn to dust.

"We need to get out of here, kero." Asui declared, turning towards the two other students. Casey nodded alongside her.

"We need to go get help." He added, while Izuku frowned slightly.

"I know, but Aizawa-sensei is-"

"In a better position than you scrubs." Another voice interrupted, much to the shock and fear of the students. Standing closest to Asui, Tomura was idly watching them, his thin white hair hanging slightly over his eyes.

"So those guys couldn't even get rid of a could noobs and a cosplayer? Pathetic." He scoffed, scratching a bit faster. "I bet if I kill a few of you, All Might will show up." He stated, reaching for Asui, who looked like she was frozen in fear.

"No!" Izuku and Casey both cried out. Izuku launched a punch, and was shocked when the giant villain seemed to appear from nowhere, absorbing the hit and not even flinching. However, Casey managed to get between Asui and Tomura, holding up his Keyblade and blocking the deadly hand.

"You think some toy can..." Tomura began, going silent when the Keyblade in Casey's hand didn't start to disintegrate. He turned his own stare towards where Aizawa was peering up off the ground, his glare focused on Tomura.

"Heh, looks like you're as cool as I thought. Nomu!" Tomura barked, making the huge villain tilt its head. "Finish him off."

Before the Nomu could even move, a large bang sounded through the area, causing most of the eyes to turn towards the main entrance.

 **"Fear not, Students! For I AM HERE!"** All Might's voice boomed across the field, where behind him followed the other teachers from U.A., along with Ida. All Might's usual smile wasn't on his face, causing most of the Villains to step back in fear. In a split second, All Might crossed the grounds, gathering Casey, Izuku, Asui and even Aizawa, carefully lowering them onto the ground by the entrance.

 **"Now, I believe you wanted me?"** He questioned, staring at the assembled group.

* * *

Thankfully, All Might managed to beat the Villains into a retreat, while he launched the Nomu into the stratosphere. As the police finished interviewing the students and allowed to get on the bus to return to school, Casey couldn't help but turn his focus inwards, poking at his Quirk in his mind. On his HUD, the same error message appeared once again.

"Pikachu, what's happening?" He asked quietly, the Pokemon giving him a comforting chirp. On a whim, Casey tried to dismiss Pikachu, planning on summoning him right back, and was shocked when nothing happened. He even tried to dismiss the other Pokemon he had summoned at all times, yet they all stayed with him. Yet when he tried to dismiss the Keyblade, it disappeared in a flash of light. To his surprise, when he tried to summon it again like he did before, it came easily, no headache or anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Casey finally summoned the Keyblade! No, Kurogiri isn't a Heartless, but he looks similar enough to give a slight nudge towards Casey's Quirk.
> 
> I'm pretty sure you can tell by now though, that Casey's Quirk isn't quite the data summoning it seemed to be, but that'll be explained once Kingdom Hearts' influence becomes more pronounced.


	13. Night of Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey's Quirk has far reaching consequences that will change the future, if he can survive, that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's quite a bit of skipping around in this chapter, but hopefully it isn't too confusing.

Unbeknownst to Casey, or anyone on Earth, when he summoned the Keyblade, a pulse of power went out across the globe and even beyond the stars. While no one on _his_ Earth was sensitive to the wave, that didn't mean there weren't beings who _did_ feel it...

* * *

_Location Unknown_

In a large stone tower, a violet-cloaked being floated before a large clock-shaped screen, watching as a young man fought against a glowing, metallic-suited being. As the pulse of energy swept across his form, his red eyes widened, the flow of time altering before his very eyes as he foresaw the changing possibilities to his own time-line. The scar crossing his left eye crinkled slightly as a grin crossed his face.

"Perhaps the future will be kinder to you..." He muttered softly, his attention back on the unaware teenager.

* * *

_Location Unknown_

Inside a shop hosting a multitude of various objects from different worlds, a small, golden, hexagonal medal with a larva etched into it seemed to gleam in the dark, the emerald jewel inlaid as its 'eye' shining for a moment before going unnoticed once more.

* * *

_The Land of New Hyrule_

As a young blonde woman worked on some important documents, her attention was drawn to the window of her tower. As she gazed across the lands surrounding her castle, she noticed with some concern that while the railroads that crossed the lands were all still around, there seemed to be one that broke off from the others, simply going straight over the horizon.

"Send word to Link, we must have this investigated." She instructed to a nearby guard, who saluted before rushing to follow the queen's orders.

* * *

_Back in the MHA World_

Casey groaned from his bed, a headache pounding behind his eyes as he tried to once again, unsuccessfully, summon something other than the Keyblade with his Quirk. Pikachu gave a sad chirp, nuzzling against his chin to try and comfort his trainer. All of the Pokemon that Casey had summoned full time were still there, including the Litten that his parents had 'adopted', and every one of them had at least tried to comfort him somewhat, which made him almost feel worse; since he couldn't summon any others, or dismiss the ones he had, some Pokemon were separated from their friends.

"If I knew the Keyblade would be this much trouble, I wouldn't have tried for it." He sulked, even though he knew he was lying to himself: The Kingdom Hearts games had always been a favorite of his, and wielding the Keyblade made his inner fanboy scream with delight. He summoned the blade to his hands once more, simply taking in the details.

"And now with the Sports Festival coming up, I won't be able to use any other powers. Don't get me wrong, Pikachu, but I can't rely just on you guys to get me noticed by the Pros." Casey lamented, scratching Pikachu behind the ears.

* * *

_Unknown Location_

Within the shadows, a small form rose from the ground. It almost looked like an upright ant, with two antenna sticking out from its head. Its skinny arms ended in sharp claws, while its glowing yellow eyes were locked on the wall in front of it. The creature twitched slightly, reaching out and barely touching the wall before it started to glow. It jumped back in slight surprise, watching as the light slowly drew a shape into the wall, taking the form of an old fashioned keyhole. If the creature could, it would have a wide grin splitting open its face as it dove into the glowing keyhole, which seemed to shudder as it vanished.

* * *

_U.A._

The atmosphere surrounding the school was abuzz with excitement and tension, many spectators coming to watch the up and coming Heroes show off their skills. Down in the locker room, however, things were slightly tense...

"Midoryia, I am stronger than you, and I intend to show the world that." Shoto Todoroki declared, his expression unchanging even while his classmates looked on in confusion. They all knew Izuku was strong, yes, but why did Todoroki feel the need to prove himself better?

"Hey, you Icy-Hot bastard! If you're gonna declare something like that, have the nerve to challenge the _real_ strongest!" Bakugo exploded, stepping forward in anger. Casey, being the little shit he was, couldn't let that one pass.

"Aww, you wanna see us fight? I'm flattered, Kaachan." He snarked, batting his eyelashes at the blonde. The explosive teen whirled around, snarling at the taller boy. Before he could retort, Izuku's voice cut through the tension.

"Todoroki, I _know_ you're stronger than me," He began, referring to when the Fire and Ice user had blasted his way through the Villains at the USJ. "But everyone here, from every department, will be giving their all and aiming for the top, so I hope you give it your all too." Todorki nodded slightly before the students began heading towards the field, where all of the other freshmen were gathered.

"All right! It's almost time to get this show on the road!" The referee, Pro Hero Midnight, announced as she cracked her signature whip. "But first, a few words from the player representative this year, Moore Casey!" Said teen gulped slightly, while Izuku gave him a small grin, nudging the teen up to the stage.

"Um..." He began, unsure. From his shoulder, Pikachu gave a comforting nuzzle to his cheek, making some of the audience laugh or coo. "We're all here to show how good we are, and to try to take home the gold, but beyond that, we're here to try to become Heroes. We might all be doing it for different reasons, but in the end, we all have a little bit of 'saving the world' in us, and even if we're nervous, or afraid, we have what it takes to Go Beyond: **Plus Ultra!** " He finished with a roar, making the crowd cheer and even some of the students from the other classes.

However, a scream of terror cut through the cheers, causing the Pro Heroes to all tense and look towards the source. Many people in the audience were screaming and pointing at something behind the fields and stands, making the students and teachers turn as well. Casey paled drastically, his blood running cold at the sight.

 _"No..."_ He whispered, though it was picked up by the mic and broadcast across the arena. A huge creature _towered_ over the stands, pitch black in color with yellow glowing eyes that were partially obscured by the dreadlock-like tentacles emerging from its head. The center of its chest was carved out in the shape of a heart, showing the sky behind it that was quickly filling with dark clouds.

"What is that thing?" Midnight asked, tensing next to the teen. The cameras around the arena were all focused on the creature as well, showing it off from multiple angles on the surrounding screens.

"It's a Darkside Heartless..." Casey breathed, his fear spiking. Pikachu's cheeks were sparking on his shoulder, and the Pokeballs on his belt were all shaking in response to the teen's distress. Izuku had quickly bolted up to the podium as well, his eyes wide and locked onto Casey.

"Casey, you didn't, did you?" He had to ask. He had to _know_...

"No! Izuku, I wouldn't..." He exclaimed, alarmed at his friend's fear. The greenette swallowed, but nodded, trusting in his best friend to not lie about something like this. The group was joined by All Might, who had leapt from the stands to reach his students.

 **"Young Moore, what is happening?"** He questioned, his usual smile missing as the clouds became darker. Casey turned to the Number One Hero, his mind whirling.

"I think... I think the Keyblade brought it here..." He admitted, summoning the Kingdom Key. The moment it was summoned, the giant Heartless seemed to stare straight at him. It slowly lifted one of it's massive hands, a dark red and black orb forming and beginning to suck in the air around it. Anything loose quickly flew into the orb, disappearing from sight.

"No... no no no!" Casey denied, finally realizing what was happening. The clouds, the orb, everything becoming dark... "There must have been more... I think they found the World's Heart." He watched as many of the long range Pro Heroes launches attacks against the Darkside, which didn't seem to feel any of them. Izuku paled as well, catching onto what his friend was implying.

"It's the end of the world..." He gasped, eyes wide and full of tears. Casey began to cry as well, nodding, while All Might blanched.

 **"What do you mean? How could the world end when we Heroes will defend it?"** He pressed, making Casey shake his head.

"In the game I summoned this from, every world has its own Heart, almost like the core of the Earth, that holds it all together. There's also a Keyhole, that Sora had to go and lock, because if the Heart of the world was found by the Heartless, they would devour it and drag everything; people, animals, the entire world, into Darkness." Casey explained, wiping the tears away quickly. He watched as the orb began to grow, becoming even more powerful.

"Nothing can truly defeat the Heartless except the Keyblade, or else it'll just come back: The Keyblade releases the trapped Heart. But I can't take down a Darkside on my own, and the Keyblade can only be used by its chosen, so I can't just give it to you to fight with."

 **"Even so, a Hero must do what they can to save lives. So I won't back down!"** All Might declared, launching himself skyward towards the towering Heartless. **"Detroit SMASH!"**

With an echoing boom, the Symbol of Peace's attack slammed into the Darkside, causing it to stagger backwards. Before All Might could launch another attack, however, it swung the orb in it's hand, slamming it into the Pro Hero. Before the eyes of everyone in the audience, All Might vanished.

"All Might!" It seemed like everyone screamed at once. The clouds covered the entire area, becoming pitch black as the ground outside the arena broke apart to be absorbed into the growing orb.

"AHHHHH!" Ochaco screamed in fear as she was lifted off her feet. Before she could fly too far, Asui's tongue darted out to grab her around the waist, the rest of 1-A quickly grabbing onto one another to anchor them. For a moment, it seemed as though they would be alright before the ground around them shattered, launching them into the sky as well while another Darkside emerged from the hole.

"NO!" Izuku cried out, gathering energy into his legs and launching himself at their classmates. Casey couldn't reach out fast enough, watching in horror as the group was all absorbed into the orb.

"Izuku!" Casey cried out, watching as even the stands and the audience began flying into the sky. The Darkside inside the arena pulled its arm back before launching its fist at Casey.

"Pi-ka!" Pikachu shouted, launching himself off the teen's shoulder and flipping forwards. His tail was glowing a silver, metallic color, slamming against the fist and halting it in place. But much to the Pokemon's horror, he too began flying into the air towards the orb.

"Pikachu!" The Pokemon met his trainer's eyes for a moment, tears flying from them before he disappeared. Casey noted that he seemed to be the only one left, the sky and grounds shattered as they floated through the darkness. He narrowed his eyes and slid into the stance Sora always seemed to use in game, launching himself forward with an angry cry. The Darkside quickly backhanded the boy, causing him to bounce off the podium with a cry of pain. Before he could even regain his bearings, he felt himself be lifted skyward, his terror increasing as the Pokeballs on his belt being ripped away by the winds. As his sight became darker, he watched as the rest of his world collapsed, his thoughts drifting to his family and praying that whatever happened, they would be safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I skipped on a lot of details from MHA, but honestly, retelling details that wouldn't change would be pointless.
> 
> So... I had to find a way to remove the Pokemon from Casey's arsenal, at least for now: I don't want him to be overpowered. So he's going to have to rely on his own strength for now, along with the Keyblade.
> 
> The locations shown were hints at places to come, along with who will be joining Casey on his journey. Of course, I plan on taking them to more worlds than just those, so I hope you'll still be surprised.
> 
> Casey is going to change slightly once he meets someone else soon, along with revealing the truth about his Quirk, so stay tuned!


	14. All Aboard!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casey awakens somewhere completely new, with nothing but the clothes on his back and the Keyblade in hand. Then again, isn't that how all the best adventures start?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so the first world is upon us! Unfortunately, this world isn't going to be a huge action one, more for the plot than anything else.

Whatever he was laying on, it was decidedly uncomfortable, Casey mused. His whole body felt like it was run over by a truck, his mind muddled while he began to stir. He cracked his eyes open slightly, hissing in pain and slamming them shut when the light seemed to pierce straight through to his brain.

"All Might needs to let up on the training..." He groaned, forcing himself to sit up on his elbows. However, his eyes flew wide open when his memories caught up to him.

"My family... my friends... how did this happen?" He sobbed, tears falling from his eyes. In a flash of light, the Keyblade appeared in his hand, making a surge of anger flow through him.

"It's all your fault! If I hadn't summoned you, my world would be fine!" He shouted in anger before he seemed to deflate, the anger passing quickly. "...it's my fault..."

He threw the Keyblade forward, not truly caring until it fell off the platform he awoke on. When it disappeared from view, there was a resounding 'clang' of metal hitting metal, much to Casey's confusion. The teen slowly took in his surroundings, slightly surprised that he wasn't in the Realm of Darkness, or Traverse Town like the games.

The stone platform was rectangular and surrounded by healthy green fields on each side. A set of stairs was built on the side behind him, while the front one had...

"Railroad tracks?" He questioned, slowly climbing to his feet. He approached the edge of the platform, idly noting the Keyblade had disappeared once again. Looking both ways, the rails on his left seemed to go on forever, disappearing over the horizon, though there seemed to be a loop where someone could turn around. When he turned to the right, he noted a plume of smoke in the distance, slowly coming closer. A whistle pierced through the air as a brown steam locomotive approached, slowing to a stop right before the platform.

"Wait, isn't this the-" Casey began, before he was interrupted by a figure hopping from the cab of the locomotive. The young man looked about fifteen or sixteen, with long blonde hair that was tied in a ponytail. The black pupils in his eyes were trained on Casey, slightly curious but also wary. The handle of a sword was sticking up over his shoulder, a matching shield attached to his back as well.

"Uh... hi?" Casey greeted, inwardly panicking. How was Link, the hero of the Legend of Zelda series, here? His Quirk still wasn't working, though the HUD on his glasses was still working since his own 'Health Bar' was still there.

Link, who was clad in his iconic green tunic, tilted his head slightly. He moved slightly closer, making gestures with his hands. Casey winced, realizing what was happening.

"I'm sorry, I don't know sign language." He admitted, making Link frown. Casey was simply thankful that there wasn't a language barrier at least. Link's brows furrowed in thought. He pointed at Casey, then gestured to the platform around them with a curious look.

"Um, to be honest, I have no idea how I got here." Casey told him, wincing slightly at the incredulous look he recieved. Link spread his arms wide, as if to emphasize the fact that there didn't seem to be anything around for miles. The green clad hero huffed, gesturing to the passenger car on the train and pointing at him once again.

"You want me to board?" Casey questioned, receiving a wide smile and enthusiastic nod in reply. Casey nodded, slowly approaching the carriage.

* * *

Link watched carefully as the boy climbed aboard the Spirit Train, relaxing when he got on without issue. He knew that since the Spirit Train was a vessel for Light, that if the boy were truly Dark or a threat, the train wouldn't let him on at all. Knowing that Zelda would probably want to meet him, the conductor hopped back into the cab and began to drive the locomotive forward, towards the reversing loop ahead.

He was also glad that the other boy could grasp what he wanted. While being mute hadn't really been an issue with the people he cared about, it certainly made first meetings a bit awkward.

* * *

Casey was surprised at how comfortable the train car was. The bench had a cushion that he immediately sagged into, a sigh of contentment escaping his lips. While he wasn't one hundred percent sure what was going on, he did at least trust Link to not hurt him, else the teen probably would have done so back on the platform.

"But how am I going to explain anything?" He mused, watching as scenery began to rush past while the train picked up speed. He felt slightly selfish when his mind wandered to his own model train sets, then to his home and wondering what happened to everything.

"How am I supposed to fix this...?" He whispered, his eyes sliding shut against the tears building up. Before he knew it, he fell into a fitful slumber, dreams of his friends filtering through his mind's eye.

* * *

Link let out a sigh if relief as he slowed the Spirit Train to a stop in the underground section of Zelda's castle, the iron gates closing behind them. He carefully maneuvered past the cannon car and into the passenger car, frowning slightly when he didn't see the other boy.

"No no no..." A voice whimpered, drawing his attention to one of the back rows. He found the stranger curled up on the bench, tears spilling from his closed eyes as he dealt with what was probably a nightmare. 

"Izuku! Mom! Dad!" The teen cried out, sobbing slightly. Link's heart went out for him as he carefully reached forward and shook the teen's shoulder. The blue-green eyes snapped open, making Link jump back slightly in surprise.

"...oh, it wasn't just a dream." The teen whispered, sitting up. He took in Link's surprise and winced, turning to look out the window. Link slowly reached forwards, telegraphic his movements, and placed his hand on the teen's shoulder, hoping to get his sympathy across.

"Thanks, Link... where are we?" The teen questioned, not noticing Link's shock. How did this stranger know his name when he couldn't introduce himself?

* * *

Casey didn't realize his slip of the tongue, watching as Link gestured for him to follow. When they exited the train car, they were met with two men in matching silver armor, each one holding a spear. The two guards snapped to attention before becoming slightly defensive, tilting their spears towards Casey.

Link quickly signed something to the duo, who both nodded slightly and cleared the way, allowing Casey and Link to pass into a long hallway filled with tapestries. Casey glances at each one, noting that they seemed to be the histories of the Phantom Hourglass and the Wind Waker.

"Are we in a castle?" He asked, his memories of Spirit Tracks a bit rusty. He couldn't even rely on his Quirk to pull up the data for him. Link turned and nodded, a small smile on his face as they stopped outside a set of doors that were blocked by another pair of guards. They saluted Link and cast a look at Casey before they pulled the doors open, revealing a blonde woman sitting behind a large wooden desk.

"Your majesty, Link has returned, along with a guest." One of the guards announced, making the young woman look up. Her blue-gray eyes landed on the duo, causing Link to get down on one knee and bow his head. After a moment, Casey followed the hero's example, keeping his head bowed.

"Link, stand up. You know you don't have to bow to me." The woman instructed, a small smile on her face. She frowned thoughtfully when Link began signing what he learned, including that the stranger seemed to know Link's name even though he hadn't introduced himself.

"Rise, young man." She began, locking eyes with Casey when he looked up. "I am Queen Zelda of New Hyrule, and this is Link, a knight of my realm and my Royal Engineer. Might I know your name and from where you came?"

Casey gulped, knowing that lying was a bad idea, especially if it turned out that Zelda had the Triforce of Wisdom. Curse his faulty memory!

"My name is Casey, and I'm _very_ far from home." He introduced, bowing his head once again.

"If you do not reside in New Hyrule, how did you know Link's name?" Zelda questioned, making Casey blanch. Thankfully the queen didn't look angry, just more curious.

"Well... to be honest? I'm not even from this world. I know who Link is because on my world, we had legends about his adventures." He hedged, knowing he wouldn't truely be able to explain the concept of a video game to them. Zelda's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't look like she didn't believe him.

"How is it you came upon our realm?" She asked. Casey grimaced, knowing this would probably make him sound crazy.

"In my world, we have a _lot_ of legends, including one about an object called the Keyblade. It's a weapon that's designed to keep Darkness at bay, but beings that fear it are also desperate to destroy it." He began, summoning the Keyblade in a flash of light. Beside him, Link reached for his sword, though he stopped when Zelda shook her head.

"May I examine it?" She phrased it like a request, though Casey knew it was probably an order. He carefully flipped it around, handing it to her hilt first. When the queen touched it, a triangular pattern appeared on her left hand, glowing slightly.

"Indeed, I can sense that this is truly a weapon of Light, similar to the legendary Master Sword." She intoned, making Link relax. She handed the Keyblade back to Casey so he could dismiss it before turning to one of the bookshelves, running her fingers over the tomes.

"Many legends have been passed down among these lands as well, including one similar to your own weapon." She began, pulling one of the tomes down and carefully flipping through it. She stopped on a particular page and turned the book towards Casey and Link, allowing them to see an illustration of another Keyblade, though instead of the 'teeth' being shaped like a crown, the end of this blade was shaped like a five pointed star. Casey was dismayed, yet un-surprised, that he couldn't read the text on the page.

"Legends say that the wielders of these blade will either bring peace or destruction upon the lands they visit." Casey blanched at that statement, shaking his head rapidly.

"I swear, I'm not here to destroy anything! I woke up on that platform after my own world was destroyed. If anything, I would prefer to seal this world from the Darkness, so it wouldn't suffer like mine did." He explained, stoutly ignoring the pang of heartbreak from the memory.

"Explain." Zelda demanded curtly, turning the tome towards herself once again.

"Okay, so, every world has a Heart that keeps it going, which can be accessed by something called a Keyhole. The Keyblade can 'lock' the World's Heart and prevent others from getting to it. Mostly it's creatures called Heartless that go after the Heart." He began, casting his mind to the Kingdom Hearts lore he knew off hand. "Heartless are the Darkness in people's hearts given form and create more of themselves by stealing other hearts. Not the physical organ! I guess you could almost call it the soul? Anyways, locking the World Heart also prevents the Heartless from appearing on a world they haven't been to."

Link made frantic signs to Zelda, but made sure he was slow enough that she could understand them.

"We have dealt with beings similar to them, yes. However, we do not believe they were Heartless." Zelda translated, nodding in agreement. "However, you say you can prevent them from appearing, correct? Where would the Keyhole be located?"

Casey shook his head, grimacing slightly.

"Honestly, I have no idea. Usually it would be somewhere important, or of maybe magical importance? It was never really said where and why the Keyhole is where it is." Casey mused, while Zelda and Link exchanged a glance.

"We may have an idea about that..."

* * *

Shortly thereafter, Casey and Zelda were each seated comfortably on benches in the Spirit Train, while Link drove them towards the Tower of Spirits. Zelda had told Casey what had happened in her lands a few years prior, noting that the top floor of the Tower seemed to be the most likely place for the World's Heart.

"I guess that makes sense. You would know your world better than I would." Casey freely admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. The queen gave him a small smile as they exited the train car, deep in the bowels of the Tower. Link joined them a moment later, giving the engine a fond pat before joining the others. He led the way over to a door, opening it to reveal a staircase that seemed to go on for a _while._

"Oh joy, climbing." Casey deadpanned, getting a snort from Link and a head shake from Zelda.

"It really isn't that bad." She defended, getting an incredulous glance from Link, who signed something at her and made her blush. "Okay, so at the time I was a spirit but it really can't be that bad, can it?"

* * *

It was really that bad.

The trio was huffing for air as they collapsed on one of the landings, though Zelda was undeniably the worst off.

"That... was... horrible..." She complained, slowly catching her breath. Link gave a raspy laugh, carefully signing.

"Are we almost there?" Casey asked, glancing upwards. He couldn't see any more stairs, and the only door on the landing seemed to lead outside. Now that Zelda had caught her breath, she gave Link a small glare, she nodded to the other teen.

"I can summon a portal to teleport us from here to the final room, since this is where Anjean had summoned one as well." She explained, focusing energy into her hands. A light blue circle surrounded the group, making them vanish and reappear inside another room, a golden stained glass window allowing the light from outside to come through. Immediately, Casey could feel... _something_ filling the air, the Keyblade appearing in a flash of light on its own. Zelda and Link both flinched slightly in surprise, their eyes going wide when a crown-shaped light appeared on the floor around them. At the same moment, a Keyhole appeared on the glass, flooding the room with even more light.

"The Keyhole!" Casey exclaimed, yelping in surprise when his arm was forced up. A ball of Light formed on the end of the Keyblade, shooting off into the Keyhole and causing it to disappear with a locking sound. The crown surrounding the group also faded, leaving the room bathed in natural sunlight once again. Zelda felt something in the air shift, as if a sense of safety and Light now blanketed the lands.

"That was..." She began before Casey seemed to jerk forward, the Keyblade leading to the door outside. She and Link chased after the teen, who seemed to be struggling to control his own actions, leading them up to where the altar was on the top floor. Though instead of going down the stairs there and into the Tower's top floors, Casey was swung back towards the edge, the Keyblade pointed outwards towards the horizon. Another light rapidly flew from the blade, disappearing out of sight.

"What was that?" Casey asked aloud, voicing the thoughts of all three teens. Before they could even begin to theorize, the sound of the Spirit Train's whistle pierced the silence.

* * *

When the group finally made it back down to the engine chamber, they were greeted with the sight of smoke billowing from the locomotive's stack. The golden symbol of Hyrule seemed to be glowing with its own light as well. Link quickly hopped into the cab, Casey and Zelda both managing to squeeze in behind him. All of their eyes were drawn to a compass embedded in cab, where a crown symbol was now flashing in a silver light.

"We must return to the castle at once." Zelda ordered, making Link nod in agreement. The young engineer slowly directed the Spirit Train back in the direction of Hyrule Castle.

* * *

"Your Highness! There are reports of a new Gate appearing on the horizon! However, no one has managed to travel through." A guard greeted the group as soon as they reached the castle. While Zelda was busy trying to get more details from the guard, Link tugged on Casey's arm, pointing at the compass before gesturing to Casey and the direction of the horizon.

"Um... are you saying that it's pointing towards where you found me?" Casey hedged, making Link smile widely and nod. The engineer hopped off to let Zelda know what they had realized, leaving Casey alone. He glanced down at the hand that summoned the Keyblade, his thoughts scattered.

* * *

"Whoa..." Casey breathed, his eyes wide behind his HUD. He and Link were both in the engine of the Spirit Train, while Zelda and a company of guards had followed in their own royal locomotive. The two groups had gone back towards where Casey had been found, passing the station and reversing loop to follow the new tracks. After about an hour of travel, they had come upon another station at the shore of the land, where a large, door-shaped structure stood before the sands. The rails simply vanished before the ocean, while no water seemed to pass through the gate itself.

"It looks similar to the gates leading to the other realms, yet..." Zelda hedged, her eyes focused on the end of the tracks. "There is no realm in this direction, even the Great Sea, the home of our ancestors, is on the opposite shores."

Casey glanced at the gate once more, trying to pick out any details they may have missed. Link tugged on the taller teen's arm, pointing up at the top of the gate. Casey narrowed his eyes before they flew open, a small smile lighting up his features.

"There's a keyhole!" He crowed, summoning the Keyblade. Before anyone could react, he pointed it directly at the keyhole, causing a beam of light to shoot from the blade. With a resounding click, another light formed from the top of the gate to the sands, slowly parting to form a silver portal in place of doors.

"I think... I think this is how I'm supposed to leave the world." Casey mused, though he frowned slightly in realization. "But from the looks of it, I'm supposed to go by train, and I don't exactly know how to drive one." Zelda and Link exchanged another look, Link signing something to the queen. Zelda gave a soft sigh, though her lips tilted up into a smile.

"I could never keep you from an adventure, could I?" She said simply, getting a sheepish smile from the blonde. She shook her head, turning to where Casey was staring at the portal.

"Casey," She began, making the teen turn towards the group. "I believe you were sent here for a reason, beyond keeping the so-called Heartless out. If there is a threat from the Dark out there, I believe it would be prudent to help seal it away. I shall entrust Link to be your guide, to be your companion on this quest." She intoned, making Casey's eyes go wide. The off worlder glanced at Link, realizing he hadn't objected.

"A-are you sure? I don't know when we would be back." He warned, his heart soaring when Link gave him a smile and a thumbs up. Casey glanced back at Zelda, falling to one knee and bowing his head. "Thank you, Your Highness, for helping me."

Zelda's laughter cut through the slightly solemn air. It was a kind laugh, not to mock him. She placed a hand on Casey's shoulder, making the teen look up.

"Go, my friend, and save the worlds." She instructed, a smile on her lips when both teens gave her a salute. Link and Casey both hopped into the cab of the Spirit Train, which seemed to glow when Link blew the whistle. With a mighty bellow, the locomotive charged through the gate, which slowly closed as the last of the passenger car passed through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link has joined the party! I know Spirit Tracks doesn't really reference the Triforce or anything in that sense, but i'm going to be playing around with the Zelda Timelines a bit.
> 
> Now, let's get to the heart of the issue: I have no idea where they're going next. Now, to clarify, there are still two more (at least) party members that Casey is going to pick up, but before that, I'm not sure what's going to happen.
> 
> If you'd like to know for sure who the other two are, feel free to ask! I'll answer in the comments.


End file.
